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He draped his body on the grocery cart handle while Wes decided on which cereal they needed, or which one didn’t have the greatest amount of sugar if only to spite his younger brother. It wasn’t his fault he had ruined Wes’ chance with the cute neighbor; how the hell was he supposed to know that the guy had a fucking huge ass dog? If anyone should be mad it was Soul. Wes knew he hated dogs after an incident with their mom’s Australian shepherd when they were younger.
“Can you hurry the fuck up?” Soul asked from his position.
Wes sighed as he stood akimbo in the aisle, shaking his head at the various rows of boxes before him. “None of them seem right, little brother. They’re all too sweet for you, and you know I have to look out for you. As your older brother, it is my duty to do so which means I must uphold that duty–”
“Shut the fuck up, you dickwad, and pick something!” he growled out. “God knows we’ve been in this store long enough so hurry the fuck up.”
“Alright, alright. Cool down, Mister Bossypants. I’ll pick out a damn cereal already.”
“Fucking finally,” he said as his brother tossed a box of Frosted Flakes into the cart. At least he hadn’t pissed him off so much that he picked out the super bland Cheerios box.
Pulling the hood of his jacket up over his head to shield him from the curious glances he received as they walked down the aisles, Soul followed his brother. Wes threw a variety of healthy and unhealthy things into the metal contraption, most of which were greeted by a scowl at the person pushing the cart, but he didn’t have much room to complain. They were shopping with the money Wes earned from his day job, not Soul’s. It was partly because of the fact that he was still looking, but that was beside the point.
The point was, Soul hated that he had to depend on his older brother for everything at the right old age of twenty-two. It was horrible, and the man never did let him forget about it. Nevermind he had been in college for the last four years of his life busting his ass for a bachelor’s in music. Nevermind that it wasn’t his damn fault having a career in the musical department was hard as fuck because he didn’t want to use their parents name to help him out. No, none of that mattered when it came to Wes.
All that mattered was the fact that he had a lazy ass brother who slept on his couch and didn’t do shit. But, Soul didn’t really have room to complain. While Wes always chided him about finding a job or doing something with his life, he didn’t kick his brother out onto the curb like their parents had. He continued to support his brother – albeit a little reluctant at times – with little to no problem which was saying a lot considering who their parents were. It wasn’t the most idle situation (Soul had seen himself living on his own right about now), but it was better than nothing.
The brothers turned a corner, and the basket rammed into someone else’s who was turning the other corner right at that time. Soul ripped the earbuds out, and started apologizing profusely for his mistake, noting the person’s cart had discounted Valentine’s candy. He had almost forgotten the holiday was going on right at that minute. Maybe that was why Wes had pulled a hissy fit when Soul yelled at their neighbor for controlling his dog, and ruined his older brother’s plans to date him.
Now it all made sense.
“I am so sorry. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going and–” he glanced up, and his heart stopped. “Maka?”
“Oh, it’s okay! I wasn’t watching where I was going either so – Soul?”
“Wh-what are you doing here? I thought you were spending the day with your dad?”
Soul looked over his shoulder at Wes who was staring back with a confused look. He had only heard about Maka from the various conversations he had with her on the phone, but they had never really met. Considering the dog situation and how vindictive Wes was, this was going to be a very interesting – possibly embarrassing – situation.
“Who’s this, little brother?” Wes asked, not bothering to allow Maka the chance to speak to Soul. And apparently he didn’t care to hear his brother’s answer either as he took a step forward and extended his hand to her. “Hi, I’m Wes Evans. Soul’s older brother.”
“Maka,” she smiled as she shook his hand. “Maka Albarn. I’m Soul’s friend from college.”
“Ah, so you’re Maka,” Wes beamed, his sparkly white teeth practically blinding. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
“Wes,” Soul growled. “This isn’t the time.”
His brother gaped at him. “I’m only trying to get to know the people in my brother’s life. What kind of brother would I be if I didn’t?”
“A not-so-annoying one.”
“Fine, talk to your lady friend. I’ll stand on the sidelines with my mouth shut.”
“Thanks,” Soul said before directing his attention back to Maka, who was smiling at both of the brother’s and chuckling at them behind her raised hand. “So what are you doing here? I thought you were going to spend the day with your dad.”
She dropped her hand and sighed. “I was, but then he started doing the whole ‘I want to dote on my daughter in public’ act, so I bailed out of the restaurant when he went to the restroom. Probably trying to create a search team for me.”
“Maka, you know you shouldn’t treat your dad that way.” He felt the corner of his mouth lift up into a half-grin. “You know he loves you.”
“I do, but it gets tiring being called pet names all the time and having someone hug all over you. I just needed my space for a while.” She glanced down at the cart full of candy and a couple teddy bears that held hearts between their paws with a cheesy line inscribed on them. “Which is why I came to buy all of this. If I’m going to spend a holiday designed for couples, I might as well indulge myself a little on their leftovers.”
“Oh, so you’re single?” Wes piped up beside them.
Soul groaned and slapped his hand on his face; he should have known the dickwad wasn’t going to keep his trap shut.
“Perpetually, I’m afraid,” Maka responded.
“God, that must suck. Not having a date on Valentine’s Day.” Soul didn’t miss the glare his brother threw him. “Out of all the days, it just had to be that one, huh?”
“Yeah, I guess it does suck a little. Especially when people feel sorry for you.” Maka paused. “So, what about you two? Neither one of you had a date for today.”
Soul noticed the quick glance Maka gave him when she asked her question, and prayed that Wes had missed it. But the grin that was creeping onto his face told him otherwise, and his stomach churned with dread at the implications behind the wicked smile. Whatever his brother was planning, it wasn’t good at all. Especially not after the incident with their neighbor.
“No, we’re both single today as well.” Wes slapped his hand hard on Soul’s back causing the younger man to let out a small ‘oomf’. “Just spending some good brotherly time together by pigging out on candy and watching cheesy romance movies.”
“Oh, well that sounds nice,” Maka said as her smile seemed a little too enthused at the news.
“Yeah,” Wes sighed. A small moment later, he snapped his fingers if he had a grand idea just then, which Soul knew he had been planning since the beginning. “Here’s an idea. It’s really crazy, but since you’re alone and hiding out from your day today, how about come over to our place and join us?”
“No,” Soul growled.
“Yeah, I think that’ll be great! If you can’t spend it with a guy other than your dad, then you can spend it with us! What do you say?”
Soul watched as Maka bit her lip, her bottle green eyes guiding from Wes to him, and he noted the thought process that was swirling behind them. He knew what her answer was going to be before she ever said it, and he wasn’t sure yet if he was happy about it or not. Yes, he wanted to spend time with her, but having Wes between them wasn’t how he had expected it. There were times throughout their friendship that he wanted to confess how he felt or be stuck in a room alone with her on a couch that only fit two people. But none of those included having his brother in the room with them.
“Yeah. I think that sounds like a good idea,” she smiled, and Soul’s heart lept and sank at the same time.
It was going to be a very interesting evening.
Interesting was the right way to put it, but not in the sense that Soul had believed it would be in.
He had to applaud Wes because the man knew exactly what made his younger brother extra nervous and flustered. Not only did he take up a majority of his end of the couch that was beyond unnecessary, but he also had Maka sit between them. Which meant she was close enough to Soul that he smelled her citrus bath wash and body spray, a very intoxicating smell to him and very dangerous. Their thighs pressed against the others that he felt the warmth of her body emitting through his jeans.
It didn’t help that she had chosen to wear a pink skirt that day either.
Fuck, he had it bad, and Wes was perfectly aware of it.
During the third half of their movie, his brother sent him a text message informing Soul that payback was a real bitch, and that while he knew telling Maka flat out that his younger brother liked her wouldn’t embarrass him enough, getting a boner would. Soul glared at his brother, receiving a sly grin in response. It was useless to argue with him because they both knew the text was true. Every five minutes when she shifted her body a little, the white haired boy had to think of other things to control his urges.
It was pure torture and bliss all rolled in one.
On the one hand, he wanted to kiss his brother and thank Wes for giving him this opportunity, to give Soul the chance of being close to Maka like this. But on the other hand, he wanted to smack his brother and push him off the building because this was a real dick move, even for him. Wes knew perfectly well that he was in love with Maka what with all the smiles he gave his phone when he text her, or the lighthearted laughing that came from his room. It was obvious to everyone around him, everyone except her.
Maka was still completely clueless about Soul’s feelings for her, and thought their interactions with each other were completely platonic. She thought of them as friends – best friends – and that was all Soul would ever find when it came to her. Not that he didn’t mind, he just wanted more with her. But if that day never came, then being best friends was good enough for him; he loved Maka enough to settle on that.
Sighing, Wes pushed himself off the couch and stretched just as the second romance movie on the Lifetime Network began playing. “Well, I’m gonna leave you two lovebirds alone for a while. I have to go back a phone call in my room.” He ignored Soul’s low growling and the faint blush that tinted Maka’s cheeks. “Don’t do anything I won’t do. Or do, I don’t care. Just keep it low enough that I can’t hear.”
Wes gave them one of his most charming smiles while Maka made a small squeaking sound before heading off to his bedroom. The door shut, and Soul realized he was left alone with the girl he was madly in love with. The same girl who still hadn’t scooted farther down the couch and away from him. Which he dully noted as he leaned toward the coffee table to grab a pack of Sweet Tarts, the classic conversation hearts his brother just had to buy for no apparent reason.
“Want one?” he asked,offering a box to Maka.
“Sure.” She opened her hand so he could drop it into her hand. “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
They munched on their candies for a while, the movie on the television showcasing the lead girl and her over dramatic, unrealistic life, when he broke the silence with a small chuckle. Maka looked at him, her eyebrows raised as if to ask what was wrong, and he shook his head.
“It’s nothing really. Just remembering that Wes and I used to have this thing where we showed each other which one we get. Then, if we had the same one, we would do what was on it. Lots of awkward kisses on the cheek, that was for sure.”
“That’s cute, though,” she commented. Tucking her legs up under her, she turned slightly toward him and smiled. “How about we play?”
“Huh?”
“You show me what your heart says, and I’ll show what mine says. If we both have the same one, then we have to do exactly that. What do you say? It sounds like fun.”
He was a little skeptical, but he felt his head start to nod anyways.
It was an innocent game; what could possibly go wrong?
The first couple of hearts they had picked were innocent and cheesy enough (lots of ttyl’s and cutie’s), but none of them were exactly the same. Soul and Maka continued to grab a box off the coffee table to continue their game when the previous box was empty, the movie long since forgotten along with the whereabouts of Wes floating to the back of their minds. They ended up laughing and criticizing the candy company, claiming they didn’t know a single thing about romance. None of the sayings were original or unique.
Then Soul held on that read ‘Let’s kiss’, and his heart stopped.
Biting his lip, praying his face didn’t give away his hope that she had the same one, he turned toward her and smiled. “What does yours say?”
She stared at the little heart, her cheeks a light pink tint, and scraped her teeth along her bottom lip. Looking up from the candy, she said, “show me yours first.”
“Oh, come on, Maka. It isn’t that bad? We haven’t the same one yet so I’m sure whatever yours says isn’t the same as mine.”
“I know, but I want to see yours first.”
“I showed you mine first the last time. It’s your turn.”
“I know, but–”
“No buts, Maka,” he cut in. “Just show me it. It’ll be okay.”
Maka sighed. “Fine.”
Hesitantly, she stuck out her hand and opened it to show him the little heart that was hidden inside with the words glaring up at him. They shone like a neon sign in his mind once he fully comprehended what it meant. His heart stopped as the realization struck him that they both were holding the exact same heart in their hand. Licking his lips, he tried to weigh his options or find a way out of it, but came up short.
“So,” she said as she pulled him out of his thoughts, “what does yours say?”
“Well,” he drawed out as he reluctantly showed her his.
Soul’s heart pounded against his chest as he waited for her to say something – anything – or to show any sign of a reaction when she connected what their hearts meant. It didn’t matter what he wanted, he had long since decided that when he saw hers. If she didn’t want to kiss him, then they didn’t have to, and she should know that.
“If you don’t wanna kiss me, you don’t have to.” He raised his other hand to comb it through his hair. “I’m not gonna force you to do anything you don’t want to. So just say it, and we can stop this silly little game – I mean if that’s what you want, of course. Just say the word and we can do something else, or kiss, or not kiss – it’s whatever.” He flinched and cursed himself; he wasn’t making any sense.
“No, it’s okay. We can kiss.” His eyes bulged and once again, his heart stopped. “I mean, on the cheeks of course since we’re friends… best friends… and best friends don’t kiss like a couple.”
“Like a friend kiss, you mean?”
Maka nodded. “Exactly. Like a friend kiss.”
“Alright, yeah. I think we can do that.” He paused. “So, how did you wanna do this?”
“Um,” she bit down on her lip. “We can do it at the same time?”
“Th-that sounds good.”
“Okay.”
They both hesitated a little as they slowly made their way to the other cheek, trying to make sure they didn’t accidentally move a few inches to the right and kiss something else. It was nerve wracking and exhilarating as her lips grew closer to his skin, and her breath tickled him as she let out a shaky sigh. It was quick and he would have missed it had he not been focused on it, but the after effects were obvious. Soul felt like his body was on fire, and his fingers twitched out to pull her close to him, give her a real kiss, but he didn’t.
Maka was his friend, his best friend, and best friends didn’t kiss like couples.
But the way her eyes lit up as she stared at him, her lips just inches away from his, he started to doubt that. If either of them moved even a little their mouths would come to brush against the others. Her breath warmed his face as she breathed out, and he swore they were each moving closer to the other. Looking into her eyes, he saw the excitement reflected in them that was definitely in his, and Soul had an inkling that he wasn’t wrong.
Maka wanted to kiss him – her not moving away was proof of it – and his heart leapt with joy.
His going to kiss her, the warmth of her lips ghosted against his, just one more move and he’d be kissing his longtime crush.
That was all they needed.
But the moment was broken as Wes’ bedroom door burst open and he yelled into the almost silent apartment. “Okay, you two! I’m coming back out! Put your clothes back on!”
Soul and Maka both jumped away from each other, trying to act as casual as possible when the older Evans brother walked in, but the faint blushes on their faces gave them away. His brother cocked his head to the side and grinned.
“What’s wrong with you two? Did anything happen when I was away?” Wes asked with cockiness oozing from his voice.
“No,” Maka said before Soul could. “Everything’s fine.” She turned to him, licked her lips, and smiled. “Everything’s perfectly fine.”
He caught the double meaning of her words, and when he dropped her off at home later that night, he gave her the kiss he had been holding back for the last four years of his life. What was a crappy day for both of them, turned out to have a pleasant ending.