AN: Hey guys! I know I'm terrible at updating, but my FF had to take a backseat for a little while. I know, I know, I'm terrible. Anyway I'm on Christmas break now so the good news is that I'm going to get some more free time to do some writing! Yay! Put up with me a bit longer? I'll be updating my weddings collection soon too, I promise.

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Anyway, hope you like this!

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Winter

It was winter. When the nights are much longer and everyone seems a little sleepier and, as Maka Albarn would tell you: due to the decreased exposure to sunlight the biological clock that regulates mood, sleep, and hormones is delayed, running more slowly in winter thus making certain people feel particularly down. Some people even feel a little lonelier.

But that's not a problem for Maka, because she doesn't live alone anymore: now she has Soul.

Who she presently does not know the precise location of and it's driving her up the wall.

He went out with Black Star, which always spelled trouble in her books, but that wasn't all. He had gone somewhere shady, like bar or a club. She shuddered. The only time she ever went was when Tsubaki or Liz stuffed her into a too-tight dress, some too-high heels and dragged her along. Even then, she protested frequently.

But that was good for her, because Soul always told her she wasn't social enough and that she should get her head out of her books. Tsubaki always told her that dancing would improve her agility on the battle field and Liz always told her it was the best way to meet a man.

But Maka didn't want to meet a man. She didn't want to meet a man anymore then she hoped Soul wouldn't meet a girl tonight. But that seemed to just be wishful thinking.

Although Maka would admit: as wishful as it was, she was still stuck thinking it.

She clicked her nails across the kitchen table she was standing next to, punching another text into her phone.

Are you coming home tonight or—

She shook her head, deleting the message and restarting

Seriously, this isn't funny, where are you I'm just worried because—

She stopped, sighing as she deleted that too. Instead she scrolled through her contacts and dialed his number.

The phone rang for what seemed like an eternity before she hit Soul's voicemail for the thousandth time that night. She hung up before she could leave a message, plopping down into one of the kitchen chairs. She put her head down on the table as she scrolled through their text conversation,

I'll be home tonight. I won't be late so don't worry about it.

The last text he had sent her, and that was about four hours ago. She looked at the time on her phone. 1:58 am. She rolled her eyes, trying desperately to untangle the knot deep her stomach. Outside she heard the cold wind blow through the alley outside their apartment and shivered involuntarily. It would snow soon she guessed.

He probably wasn't coming home. Yeah. Maybe he met some girl and was staying at her place. Whatever. She didn't care. It's not like it was cheating or something stupid like that. They weren't even together; they had never been together and with the way things were going maybe that would never be together.

Maka huffed and trudged to her bedroom, pausing only briefly at the door before mentally slapping herself for still holding on to one bit of truth that lying, no good, jerk—

She heard shuffling outside.

She paused briefly, her heart caught in her throat when keys fumbled around the lock on the other side. After what seemed like forever, the door swung open and Soul fell inside.

Maka yelped as her partner laughed uproariously from his spot on the floor, door still hanging open.

"Oops! Oops, oops. Aw man oooops," Soul cackled from his place on the hardwood. He sat himself up, his eyes drifting over to Maka, "Oh you're here!" He grinned at her, swaying slightly, "Oh good!"

She would never admit the relief that flooded over her: mostly because she was too angry about the fact that he was clearly drunk out of his mind.

"Soul," She shook her head, "You're drunk,"

"Nope. No you're wrong because… I'm not," He paused before giggling stupidly.

She rolled her eyes, as he struggled out of his winter coat, dropping it on the floor in a heap.

"Yeah okay,"

"No look!" He said loudly, "I'll prove it!" He started to stand, wobbling dangerously, "See I'm—" He almost fell to the ground once more, but quickly Maka caught him under one of his arms, holding him up,

"Fine," He finished.

She struggled under his weight,

"Ugh you're so—ugh—heavy!" It seemed like he wasn't even using his own feet at all, all his weight resting on her shoulder as he mumbled something incoherent. His head hung sheepishly, tufts of snowy white hair brushing against her face.

She moved him to the couch and put him down on the leather cushions,

"Thank you beautiful," He said, raising an eyebrow in a manner completely ridiculously. Maka scoffed as she helped remove his shoes.

"You wore you Vans in the snow?" She clicked her tongue at the soaked footwear, to which Soul shrugged, grinning down at her. She stood, hooking her fingers into the back of the shoes,

"Stay." She commanded, to which he nodded slowly, still smiling stupidly.

She backed towards the door, keeping her eyes on him as she closed it, locking it up for the night, shivering once more from the draughty hallway.

"Makaaa," Soul called from the couch, "Come er' I have to tell you something!"

She huffed, exasperated, as she joined him in the living room. Standing over him as he lounged on the couch, she waited expectantly,

"What is it?"

"What's what?"

"What do you have to tell me?"

"What do you have to tell me?" He erupted in giggles once more to which she turned swiftly and started to leave.

"NO! No no!" Soul caught her wrist, pulling her back to him harder than he meant to. She hadn't expected it and fell backwards onto him, almost lying on his chest,

"Soul Eater!" She shouted indignantly, trying to escape. But he was having none of it. Quite pleased with himself, his arms snaked around her waist as he somehow managed to move tactfully enough that she was now lying on top of him completely,

"Whoa, whoa. Maka. Boundaries." He teased. Her face turned red as her anger rose,

"Let me go right now or so help me I will Maka chop you into next week!" she roared,

"Go ahead hot stuff, I'm a tough man. A man who is tough. You're cute you know that?" He pulled her into him, burying his face in her hair. Loose for now, her pigtails removed for the night. Her blush deepened when she realized she was doing nothing to escape now, her cheeks pink as he absently ran his fingers up and down her back,

"W-what? Soul you're drunk…" Maka lay motionless, not wanting the moment to end, but at the same time knowing this wasn't the real deal. It was drunk Soul. He was being stupid, and frankly, the less he remembered of all this, the better.

"Mmm," he hummed, sliding his hand under the bottom of her tank-top, his fingers now exploring her bare skin up and down her spine.

"Stop." Maka said firmly, sitting up a little. Immediately his hand withdrew, his expression was shocked before it melted into mischievousness once more,

"Sorryyy!" He drawled, "I didn't mean to make you upset. Too far, too far. Uncool of me." He grinned at her, and she realized she was now laying on him of her own accord, his arms not around her anymore. She stopped for a moment, contemplating leaving, knowing she should.

She should. She should get up, hit him a bunch of times, yell and fuss, drag him to bed, toss him there and then go into her own room. Go there and sleep and pretend none of this ever happened.

She should.

"You didn't meet any girls tonight?" She said quietly, laying her head back down against his chest. His arm flopped down lazily over her and she could almost hear the grin in his voice when he replied,

"Oh yeahh lots of em."

"Oh," she said curtly, listening to the beating of his heart through his black dress shirt. She swore it was that shirts doing that landed her here. It was one of her favorites,

"Yep." He said closing his eyes,

"So… anything happen?"

"I had sex with every single one of them," He tried not to giggle at his own stupid joke,

"You're not funny,"

"Wrong-o, I'm HILARIOUS ask anyone!"

She sighed bringing her hand up to trace nonsense patterns onto his chest. He paused for a moment, breathing deeply,

"That feels nice," He said seriously, his voice taking on a softer tone than before. It startled Maka, who withdrew her hand immediately,

"What-why'd you stop?" He whined, his grip tightening around her waist. She laughed before continuing,

"Baby." She muttered,

"What was that pigtails?" His obnoxiousness was back. Maka growled at her least favorite nickname apart from the dreaded 'tiny tits'.

"I called you a baby cause you're so damn whiney and needy!" She sat up, her eyes fierce as they met his lazy ones,

"Oh, I thought you were calling me a pet name. You know, like baby. Like: hey baby I'm home from work, or like, hey baby I'm glad we killed that Kishin together or like baby, I've loved you for as long as I can remember but I'm too much of a coward to ever say it." He rose his eyebrows when her eyes widened, fighting him off and standing to her feet,

"What the fuck?!" Maka shouted, "Why would you say that?!"

"Uhhh maybe because it's true!" He scoffed, sitting up on the couch,

"How dare you! Just because we're partners doesn't mean—doesn't mean that I—"

But it did. She did and he just told her that he knew and how long had he known for because this was all too much for her right now. He probably wouldn't remember but he just spilled the fact that he knew she was in love with him. He knew she was a coward. Her eyes started to prick up with tears,

"Well SO-RRY" Soul said loudly, "But it's true!"

"So! Just because it's true… doesn't mean… doesn't mean you can just…" Her eyes were going to betray her, and she was pissed off and hurt and didn't want any to deal with this anymore,

"What? Tell you how I feel?"

Maka froze for a long while, staring into the very serious eyes of Soul,

"What?" she finally whispered,

"I'm not allowed to tell you that I love you?" He asked evenly,

"Wait-you love me?"

"I just SAID that! And forever too and ughhh," He sat back, his face in his hands, "Oh mann I'm going to not like this in the morning am I?"

She let a small laugh escape,

"No," she said under her breath, chuckling slightly, "No I really don't know if you will,"

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There is a part two. Maybe even a three. Look forward to it!