Doctor Stein never could fully understand the feeling. All he knew was that he was annoyed of it. Oh, it crossed him, troubled him so much, that he started to grit his teeth from thinking about it so much. Questions upon questions would enter his head, never to be solved. Theories upon theories would be constantly formed, only to be concluded false in the end. This feeling vexed him, and he hated that.

He couldn't understand the feeling and he would always question why? Why did he find the feeling so… pleasurable? So enjoyable and delightful. Why did his ever growing madness seem to… disappear, when he felt it? Why did his heart beat so fast, as if it had just been jumpstarted by electrical cables? Why, was a word, that he was sick of hearing.

The thoughts layered and layered as days passed. He was up almost all night in the lab, trying to figure it out but, at last, he could not. He did body experiments, thinking maybe something was wrong with his heart. He even rehearsed therapy techniques to himself, thinking that it was stress that was causing it. Sadly for him, nothing worked. It was all in vain.

Finally, after two weeks of having the feeling, (which seemed to be gradually growing stronger) he made an observation. The feeling seemed to revolve around Marie Mjolnir, his optimistic weapon partner. Whenever he was near her, the feeling hummed inside of him. Whenever he thought of her, the feeling sang inside of him. Whenever he made physical contact with her, the feeling seemed to wash him over like a deluge.

Ahh, Marie. Stein could never understand her, no matter how hard he tried. He never could grasp it, how she could stay so positive with all of that weight on her shoulders from teaching, doing her job as a death scythe, and most importantly, taking care of an unstable monster like him. She was a walking mystery to him and that also, just like the feeling, seemed to frustrate him... but delight him at the same time.

...Why?

It was a Saturday night when Marie finally exposed her concern. Stein was in the living room relaxing on the couch with a book in hand. As soon as he finished the chapter he was on, Marie came in. Stein easily read her expression and knew right away that she was determined to dig out whatever was troubling him. If only she knew it was her that was troubling him.

"Whats the matter, Marie?" Stein asked in his usual monotone voice. The death scythe took a seat in the arm chair across from him.

"Oh, nothing, nothing! Just seeing what you were up to!" She replied as she smoothed out her long skirt from all the wrinkles it developed. Stein peeled his eyes from his book to look at his partner. The first thing he saw was her eye. It twinkled with curiosity and seemed to glow with kindness. Stein felt his face grow a little warm even though it was quite cold in the room.

Ba-bump

His icy heart started to grow warm and beat faster, and faster, and faster. He felt very… happy, excited, and even energetic despite being tired just a second ago.

Why?

Why?

Why?

His mind was starting to race just as fast as his heart. The questions he had fell out of place, becoming disorganized in the midst of his head. He was over thinking and he needed to stop, but he couldn't seem to get himself in order. Quickly, the doctor reached for the screw sticking out of his head and gave it a couple twists. The thoughts that ran around in his head quieted down to a low buzz. He let out a sigh, and sank farther back into the sofa.

"Stein, are you alright?" Asked the death scythe, who now was sitting at the tip of her chair, concern written all over her face.

"I'm perfectly fine, Marie." Answered the doctor.

"No you aren't. You only twist your screw when your thoughts are disoriented. There is something going on in there and I'd like to know what it is that's bothering you." Now she wore a face of determination. Ready to do whatever it takes for Stein to fess up what's making him so crossed.

"It's none of your business." Said the doctor as he started to avoid eye contact with the demon hammer. Marie huffed at this and stood up.

"I'm pretty sure it's part of my business for I am your weapon partner, Stein! We need to be able to support each other and trust each other but you keep pushing me away!" She took a breath of air, the continued. "All I want to do is help you." The short woman held a very stern, but concerning look on her face as she stared down into her partner's pale green eyes.

She could see the bits of frustration, confusion, and hurt flash through his eyes. She hit a nerve. Maybe now he will fess up.

"Fine, I'll tell you what is bothering me." He then stood up, placing the book down on the coffee table in front of him and started over towards Marie, then stopped about a foot away from her. There, he pointed towards her and said, "It's you." Marie's thin lips opened a little and her eyes widen in shock. There was a brief moment of silence between the partners.

Ba-Bump

Stein grabbed at his chest where his heart was and frowned.

"This damn feeling always comes up when I hear your name, when i think about you, when I see you, when I touch you, when we eat together, when we teach together, practically whenever we do anything together! Its so annoying, so repetitive! I can't even begin to understand why I get it and most importantly, why it's associated with you. I don't have the slightest idea why I even seem to enjoy it!" Stein gritted his teeth and continued.

"My heart starts to beat faster and faster when Im near you. My cheeks seem to grow very warm when Im near you, and my body wants to make sure you are always safe and out of harms way when I touch you. What is making me so frustrated is that I don't know why!"

After a few seconds of stillness, Stein felt something cold on his chest. He looked down to see Marie's hands touching where his heart was with a small smile.

"Its funny, because I too, get that feeling Franken." Stein's eyes widen at her. Marie looked down at her feet.

"I get it every time I'm near you,when Im thinking of you, and when I touch you. I've had this feeling for a while, in fact. It developed when we first met, back when we were students at the academy. It was a very powerful feeling. It made me want to protect you and make you happy. So I did my best to do those things, but then, I was moved to Oceania, and the feeling seemed to have disappeared, but in reality, it never did. It was just lying dormant inside of me until finally, I was called back to the academy and saw you again." Marie looked up at the tall man and their eyes locked. Her small smile grew wide and finally, she opened her mouth.

"This feeling you and I have, Stein. This feeling of the need to protect one another and to make each other happy. It's called love."

The doctor's eyes really went wide at that word.

"Love?" He repeated in a soft and questioning voice. There must be a mistake. He must have heard that wrong. A monster like him could never ever even begin to comprehend this... love.

"There must be some mistake ,Marie. A creature like me? Can love? I-" Marie put a finger to his lips signaling for him to be quiet, then stood on her tippy toes, and pecked the tall man on the cheek.

Stein stood there in complete awe. His heart was bumping faster than it ever had and before he knew it, he and Marie Mjolnir were kissing, lip upon lip.

At that moment, Dr. Franken Stein finally found the answers to all of those questions he had about the mysterious feeling he had called... Love.

Ba-Bump~