Chapter Text
She feels like a pervert for hiding behind a wall just to spy on guys playing basketball. Well, a certain guy playing basketball but, of course, the people around her doesn’t know that. If someone is to see her like that, they will immediately get the wrong impression.
Who wouldn’t? Maka groans to herself as she ducks out of sight when her person of interest faces her way after making a shot. This is stupid. She thinks to herself.
The first time she saw him was a Tuesday. It’s been a week since then. His features were striking – silvery white hair, tan skin, sculpted jaw line. These aren’t what caught her attention though. The guy was also playing basketball back then and he happened to be shirtless on the very same court by the male’s dormitory. And while that added as a proof of her being a pervert, she really is just fixated on a certain tattoo on this guy’s back; not that he didn’t have a great body for her to admire. She’s an art major after all.
That aside, the guy had angel wings on his shoulder blades and Maka had always been fascinated with them. She always wanted a small angel wings tattoo on her back but she never could find the time to have it done. This guy’s tattoo though, was big and it really looked good on his well-chiseled back.
Maka’s past week has been pretty eventful. Wednesday, she saw the white haired guy heading to the music department. Thursday, on her figure drawing class, they were given their final project which is to, of course, draw. They were given the freedom to choose their model and her thoughts were immediately preoccupied with images of her assumed music major with the angel wings tattoo. By Friday, she looked for every opportunity to talk to the guy but she’s either too shy to approach him or he’s surrounded by people and she doesn’t have the guts to barge in. While looking at him from afar, Maka wasn’t sure if they were real or contact lenses or maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her but she learned that his eyes were red. Also, his teeth were sharp. That simply added to the fascination she had towards the guy. On Saturday, she learned of his name from her friend from the music department, Liz Thompson.
“Oh, you mean Soul Evans? He’s the protégé here. Plays music by ear most of the time but has his unique style. That guy’s going places with the right attitude. Sadly, he’s kind of a laidback piece of shit most of the time.”
She learned from Liz that Soul could play seven different musical instruments, the piano being his most used instrument. He also came from the famous Evans family, a well-known name in the musical industry.
That totally discouraged Maka and made her decide to stop her pursuit to get Soul as a model. On Sunday, decided to explore the park near the university, the one that separates the dormitories. She sits under a tree and draws the lake but a group of familiar faces caught her eyes. Soul’s group was in the park. She watched as Soul lazily walked behind his friends from the university. He was incredibly slow compared to the others. Maka watched him and she saw him dropping peanuts where he’s walking. Trailing behind him was a squirrel. He would glance at it every now and then, making sure he’s not too far behind his group.
Maybe he’s not that bad. The thought made Maka want to try again and talk to him. Monday came and Maka was nowhere near him because her friend Hiro asked for help on one of his sketches. She couldn’t say no so she decided that she should just try again tomorrow.
And tomorrow came and she still has no luck. Maka stands up from where she had been ducking to hide from Soul. She looks so suspicious that she’s afraid someone might catch her. She looks over the court one last time before leaving but she notices that Soul isn’t there.
“Weird.” She mumbles.
“Yes. You’re weird.” A voice behind her says.
Maka immediately turns around, ready to fight. “I’m skilled in Taekwondo, I can take you…” She trails off when she sees who is behind her.
It is no other than Soul, the guy who she has been trailing around (she refuses to call it stalking). “Announcing what technique you’re using isn’t the smartest battle plan.” He says, crossing his arms. “I have to say though, you’re quite the sight. What’re you doin’ crouching down over there? Probably nothing to do with the fact that I’ve been seeing you around frequently, right?”
Crap! “None of your business!” She scoffs but groans inwardly when she remembers that she’s actually trying to ask a favor from him. “Ah, sorry. Listen, I know this looks bad but this isn’t what you think.” She raises her hand, as if surrendering to the skeptical looks that Soul is giving her.
“You’re an art major, I guess that is what you do.” He shrugs.
“How did you-“
“You do realize you have charcoal on your hands, right? Plus, the jeans full of paint blotches are a dead giveaway.” Soul replies straight away, even before she could ask.
Maka makes a note that Soul’s one of those observant ones. “Okay, so maybe you do have an idea what I’m here for then?” She asks.
“Not a clue.” He tilts his head to the side. “Enlighten me.”
Maka rambles for a minute or two about what her intentions were, Soul not showing any signs of whether he was impressed or weirded out by her but he listens. “So, I’m kindly asking you to please model for me?”
Soul tilts his head more, looking dumbly at her and she wonders whether she made any sense at all. “You want me to model for you because I have wings tattooed on my back. Is that what you’re saying?”
“Yes.” She replies with a straight face.
Maka watches as Soul contemplates for a while, his eyebrows furrowed and his arms crossed over his chest. “You’re incredible.” He says finally and that has been Maka’s cue to be the one who is confused. “I thought you were stalking me because you liked me.” He admits, smirking. “Which isn’t a first, by the way.” He adds and Maka makes sure to not even contemplate about what he meant by that. “But instead, you’re asking me to model for you because I have a tattoo on my back. I don’t know if I should be flattered or insulted by that.”
“I find your tattooed back fascinating and I want you to model for me.” She clarifies, taking a mental note that Soul is one cocky guy. She usually doesn’t even try getting along with cocky and arrogant people but, she just might make an exception for this one. “So, you up for it?”
“What’s your name?” is Soul’s reply to her.
She smiles at him. “Maka Albarn.”
The ash-blonde art student watches as Soul quietly mouths her name while nodding his head. He smirks at her once again. “This could be interesting.” Maka hears him mumble. “Okay, Maka Albarn. You’ve got yourself a model.” He says, extending his arm out to her.
This is the start of a beautiful relationship.