My all-time favourite Soul Eater ship in a mediocre story. Hooray!

Maka glanced over at Soul as he adjusted his position on the couch. The collar of his shirt moved, and with a flare of jealousy, Maka spotted the mottled red mark on the side of his neck. Quickly masking her envy with annoyance, she demanded, "Soul, is that a hickey?"

Soul's fingers twitched up and touched the spot on his neck. "Yeah, I guess," he answered, looking disinterested.

Maka's frown deepened. "So how're things going with Michiko, anyway?" she asked, turning back to her game of Solitaire. She didn't want to look at him.

"Oh." Soul looked uncomfortable then, but Maka wasn't paying attention. "I uh, broke up with her. It wasn't working out."

At this, Maka gritted her teeth. Without thinking, she slung a book straight at Soul's head. It hit with a distinct thump. "What the hell?!" he growled, pressing a hand to his scalp. He was sure that would swell.

Maka still didn't look at him. "You're terrible, Soul! She was, what, the twelfth or something?"

Though she never said it, Maka resented the string of girlfriends Soul had had over the last year. Some lasted only a few weeks, others a month or two. She knew for a fact that he'd slept with at least three of them.

"I dunno," Soul answered quietly.

Maka grumbled, deep in her throat. "I can tell they've all meant so much to you," she muttered.

"It's not really my fault, okay?!" Soul snapped. "I've got some kind of fucking fan club or something at school! Every time I'm single, one or another of them comes along and asks if I'll go out with her. At least I'm giving them a chance, right?"

Finally Maka looked up, angry. "Why bother? It never seems to 'work out' for you! What's wrong with them, anyway?"

Soul sat upright on the couch, glaring at her. "None of them are what I want, okay? I'm looking for something and not finding it in any of them, no matter how hard I try! No matter how long I wait!"

Maka ran a hand through her hair, trying – and failing – to calm down. "And what is it that you want, hm? Does anyone have it? Or are you just searching for the unattainable?"

"I don't even know!" Soul barked. "I don't have any idea if anyone has it, but I know exactly what it is!"

"What is it, though?" Maka demanded. "A body like Blair's with the temperament and cooking skills of Tsubaki, and Liz and Patty's frisky behaviour? Maybe throw in some of Marie-sensei's humour, some of Nygus-sensei's caring hands, some of Azusa's dedication?"

Soul glared at her for a moment. "You have no idea how far off you are," he answered finally, quietly.

"Ugh!" Frustrated, Maka scattered her playing cards across the table. "You don't make any sense, Soul!"

"Maka, it's just nothing I can explain to you! You wouldn't get it, okay?" Soul looked angry.

Maka glared back at him for a moment, then threw up her hands and went to her bedroom. She slammed the door behind her.

Flopping down on her bed, she moaned in frustration. She refused to think about why Soul's girlfriends bothered her so much. She told herself that it was too reminiscent of her father's philandering behaviour, even though she knew that Soul had never cheated on any of these girls.

Maka didn't know how long she'd been lying face-down in bed when she heard the door open. She turned over, still fuming, to face Soul where he stood in the doorway. His face was red with anger.

"I want you, okay? I want your body, your temperament and cooking skills and flirting! I want your humour and your caring hands and your dedication!" he roared at her. "But I can't have you! So the best I can hope for is someone who's enough to distract me from you! That's what I'm looking for!"

The colour drained from Maka's face as all of her anger faded, turning to shock and confusion. She pushed herself up from where she lay. "W-what?" she asked softly.

Soul continued to glare at her from the doorway. Still stunned, Maka slowly stood up.

Soul began to turn, preparing to stomp away from her room. Maka jumped forward, grabbing at his sleeve. He turned back to her, still furious, and stared into her confused face for a moment before seizing her shoulders and kissing her aggressively.

It took Maka a split second to respond, but she gripped his shirt desperately, keeping him close. He tugged away, and for a moment they scowled at each other in embarrassment and frustration.

"What made you think you couldn't have me?" Maka finally demanded.

Soul's frown deepened. "If I fucked up with you, there'd be no way we'd be able to work together any more. I can't let that happen. We're too good a team, and you mean too much to me."

"Then don't fuck up," she ordered. Then she tugged him back in for another angry kiss.