A/N: I don't own Soul Eater, nor do I own Charlotte. Charlotte belongs to TheAUWalker.
Usually, it was Stein who had to look after Charlotte. He tried desperately to keep her demons away, both literally and figuratively, as she was defenceless against them. They fought against her lucidity and they preyed on her unconscious.
But not this time.
"Are you back with us, Charlotte?" Stein asked. The dark-haired girl's eyes adjusted back to the light, and she rubbed at then gently.
"I… It happened again, didn't it?" Charlotte asked. Stein nodded, an in almost regretful way. In a way, he felt it was his fault. He couldn't let Charlotte see it, though – that was simply out of the question.
"Professor, I…" she began.
"Don't apologise," Stein stood from his chair and reached for his labcoat pocket, noticing a slight tremor in his hand as he pulled a cigarette from the packet, "we've been doing this long enough. Propriety is irrelevant." he leant back onto the desk, gripping it tightly with his hand as he lit the cigarette. His eyes flicked to the nineteen-year-old, who was still getting back to the world.
"You don't mind if I smoke, do you?" Stein asked, noticing her slight unease. Instead of a quiet, small response, however, he got a raised eyebrow. A raised eyebrow!
"You're actually asking me? Come on, Professor," she gave a tiny smile, "we've been doing this long enough to-"
"I get it. Very funny." he said, blowing smoke out of the corner of his mouth.
"I'm glad you think so." she gave a small smile, tiling her head down as a small blush covered her cheeks.
And then they had one of those moments.
They had these moments once in a while, their moments. Moments that perhaps began as one-sided by Charlotte, yes. But as Stein explored, as he explored her, he learnt, and she taught him. Now, the moments belonged to both of them. If anyone asked if they were in a relationship, however, they would receive some very astute no's and possibly some injuries.
Their moments, however, were something they shared together, something that they could both control for some reason. It was like their souls fit, and when they had a moment, they were calm and they were coherent, they were with the world.
Sometimes during their moments they would kiss. Sometimes he would touch her and sometimes she would touch him, and after the moment was gone they both knew what had happened. There were no regrets – and come to think of it, in that way, they were like a couple.
But that could never be, so all they had to share were their moments.
Charlotte pushed herself lazily off of the table she was on and walked over to Stein. She tilted her head up to look him in the eyes, and her fingers plucked his cigarette out of his mouth.
Something compelled her to take in a drag of the cigarette – not for the smoke, no, for Stein, to have her lips where his were, that was more likely.
Stein snatched the cigarette back from her and he butted it out on the bench, leaning forward and speaking in that voice, the voice so dark and low.
"They're bad for you." he said, simply. She raised an eyebrow and gave a tiny giggle.
"So are you. But, here we are." Charlotte replied. She leant forward and her lips pressed against his, but as the smoky taste hit her mouth, Stein's head snapped back, and Charlotte screamed before clamping her hands over her mouth.
"Professor?" she asked, her voice shaking with the rest of her. Stein's head dropped forward again, his green eyes visible through his mane of silver hair.
"Leave. Now." Stein hissed. Everyone that could help Stein in this state – Marie, Spirit – was out of town. Every fibre of Charlotte's being told her to run. That was, except for her soul. Her soul clung to the fringes of Stein's wavelength not encompassed by the madness, and kept her firmly where she was, even when Stein reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"Professor, please!" she begged.
"Charlotte," he said, aggressively pulling her black sleeve up to her elbow and pointing at scars that littered her arm, his finger finally resting on a large scar that extended from the back of her hand to the middle of her forearm, "this is what we do to you."
And that was when Charlotte realised.
As much as Stein and his madness were connected, they were separate entities. They weren't the same thing, not at all. Charlotte peered up at Stein, and when she grabbed his wrist, she felt his very soul jump.
"Professor, look at me." Charlotte said, firmly. Stein shut his eyes, and even behind the eyelids, she could see his eyes darting, like his mind was searching desperately for an exit, a door to escape through, a cliff to jump off of.
"Professor Stein, look at me. Now." Charlotte's voice was harsh and serious, and it caused Stein's eyes to open. When she saw Franken Stein, not the madness, when she saw Stein in those eyes, she could tell he had detached, if only for a few seconds.
"Professor, you know what this scar is. You know what you were doing." Charlotte said, her voice quiet to hide its shiver.
"I… I have no idea what you're talking about!" Stein swung his hand and sent Charlotte flying against the table, bringing his hands up to claw at his face. Charlotte's head whipped up and her blue-grey eyes bore into Stein's soul again, trying to foster that little piece of him that was still here, that was still with her.
"Professor, stop! Think! That's what you're good at, so do it! Think!" the nineteen-year old called across the laboratory, and Stein's hands stopped. His nails were leaving white marks in his forehead as he sustained the pressure, but under his palms, Charlotte could see his jaw working. It was as if he was stammering, the madness making his tongue trip up on the truth.
"Professor, I was seventeen. Two years ago – you know this. You remember everything!" she continued trying to spark a memory. Stein gave a strangled groan and dropped his hands, suddenly out of breath.
"Te – The – T – Ten…" Stein stammered, his mouth two paces in front of his insanity-ravaged brain.
"You know this, Professor," Charlotte walked towards him, extending the scarred arm and resting its hand on his elbow.
"T… Tendon. Th-The tendon, i-in your arm, it… I needed to look at it." Stein's voice was gruff and quiet, but with those words, Charlotte gave a tiny sigh of relief. But, as she was about to find out, Stein was not yet out of the woods.
Unexpectedly and suddenly, Stein fell. Charlotte had barely enough time to place her hand under his head to cushion it when she fell alongside him. His glasses clattered onto the ground, and rather horrifically, his eyes remained open.
"Oh, Professor…" Charlotte held back sobs and curled up alongside Stein, kissing him firmly on the temple before taking his hand in her own and closing her eyes, allowing her to be with her own thoughts for a while.
After what seemed like an eternity, but was in reality only a matter of minutes, the silver-haired man stirred. He turned his head to the side, and was met with the sleeping face of Charlotte. He groaned and noticed his hand was encircled by hers. He turned over and, with little recollection of what he had done, cleared his throat.
Charlotte's eyes flickered open to stare into Stein's, and without even thinking for a second she pressed her lips against his, and he did not push her away. Charlotte's hand unlinked from Stein's only to thread through his hair, and before she knew it, he was sat up and she was in his lap.
Stein pulled back first as a memory popped back into his head, pressing his forehead against Charlotte's as nothing but the sound of their breathing filled the room.
"I… Charlotte, did I hurt you?" Stein asked. Charlotte shook her head, shutting her eyes.
"No. Professor, you never hurt me." she murmured gently. Stein rested his hands on her hips and dropped his head.
"You're lying." he said, turning his head away. Charlotte brought her hand up to his cheek and turned him back to face her.
"If I don't feel hurt… am I really hurt?" Charlotte asked. Stein blinked at her, shaking his head.
"There's always a chance, Charlotte. I might cross a line. I never want to hurt you." Stein said, as if he was angry at his madness, at the world, at anything that would make him hurt Charlotte. Charlotte snivelled and nodded, her hands sitting at the base of his neck.
"And you never have, Professor. Ever." she whispered, gently. Stein sat up and looked at Charlotte with enquiring eyes.
"H… How did you bring me back?" Stein asked. Charlotte rolled up her sleeve again and pointed to the large scar running up at back of it.
"Everything you do," she murmured, "you do with reason. And… I suppose I had to show you that. Physically prove you wrong." Charlotte looked up at Stein and gave a small smile, and when she saw him return the gesture, her breath caught in her throat.
"I… I need to keep you safe, Charlotte." Stein grasped Charlotte's face in one hand, taking in a sharp breath that sent shivers up her spine.
"No matter what I do… how I analyse you, experiment on you… I can't shape my soul to yours in an optimal way." Stein continued, and Charlotte's hands locked at the small of Stein's back, hanging on his every word.
"And I… I think I know why." Stein said, and his eyebrows furrowed as he looked down at Charlotte.
"What is it?" Charlotte asked. Stein ran his thumb across Charlotte's brow line, and she shivered.
"Charlotte… when I experiment on you, you aren't in your normal state. If we connect… if…" Stein was cut off when Charlotte pulled his lips to hers, tangling her fingers in his `hair again.
"I'm on the pill." she stated, starkly. Stein's eyes widened and he swallowed.
"I-"
"I know what you're talking about. Just say it, Stein." she whispered. Stein's head shot up – she never called him Stein, it was always Professor, and his eyes flicked to hers.
They made the wordless connection, that vow that they were going through with everything he had implied, everything that the rendezvous they constantly shared had culminated in.
"Are you sure?" Stein asked, his voice quiet.
"I'm sure." Charlotte replied, Stein lowered his lips to her ear and he asked her once more.
"Tell me you're absolutely sure." he murmured. Charlotte rubbed the base of Stein's neck and turned her head.
"I'm absolutely sure." she whispered. Stein stood up, taking a step back and looking at Charlotte again. Charlotte stood, slightly uneasily, and blinked up at Stein.
"Please," she looked up at him and bit her lip before speaking in a voice so gentle yet domineering, "Stein."
Stein gave a low, languishing chuckle and Charlotte backed against the wall, a sly smile on her face as Stein approached her, taking her lips with his in an intense kiss, bracing his arms against the wall. Charlotte draped her arms around Stein's neck and tilted her head backwards, Stein's lips dragging down her jaw to her neck, suckling on her collarbone as she gave small moans of content.
Stein's hands came down to grasp the back of Charlotte's thighs, causing her to gasp. He jerked her thighs up to straddle his hips, her feet locking just under the small of his back as his body pressed to hers. Already through clothes, she felt soft and dainty, yet he felt she had the strength to hold her own, whatever she faced.
"St-Stein…" her voice staggered and her breath caught in her throat as Stein's hand reached up under her skirt, sliding across the soft flesh on her thighs. Her hand grasped desperately around his neck as he carried her, warmth hitting his neck with each of her frantic breaths.
"Stein, hurry, please!" her words came out with each short breath, and Stein made his way to the bedroom, slamming the door behind him and swinging Charlotte around. Her arms wrapped around his back as he lowered her onto the bed, but she let go and dropped to the mattress with a light squeak.
Stein stepped back momentarily, his eyes flicking over Charlotte. She was sprawled with her arms behind her head, her knees together and her face all flustered. Stein groaned deep in his throat, and he felt it overtaking him, not the madness, no, but lust.
He knelt over Charlotte and dropped his head to her clavicle, planting kisses wherever he could see bare flesh. Charlotte's hands came up to Stein's shoulders and she pulled off his labcoat, discarding it on the floor before bringing her fingers up to thread through Stein's hair.
"Uhn… Stein…" Charlotte brought her legs together uncomfortably, and it was obvious that she was not used to this feeling. She wasn't used to arousal, that burning feeling in her core that could only be released by doing the most primal of acts.
"It's okay, Charlotte. Let it wash over you." Stein murmured close to Charlotte's ear, and she reached down to the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his back, her fingernails lightly grazing the skin there.
Stei sat up and removed his shirt himself, throwing it down near his labcoat. Stein's hands grasped the bottom of Charlotte's singlet, and he gave her the look again, the are you sure look. Charlotte frowned and grabbed her own singlet, pulling it over her head in one go.
"I'm sure! What do I have to do to make you realise that I'm sure!" Charlotte yelled. Stein sat up, taken slightly aback, but a devious grin covered Charlotte's features.
"Fine." she said, and she wrapped her arms around Stein's waist and flipped him over, so that she was now sitting on top of him, straddling his hips. She could feel his arousal through his trousers, and he could feel the dampness of her.
"Ch-Charlotte, what are you-" Stein stopped when Charlotte unbuckled his trousers, jerking them down to his knees in one swift movement. Her eyes flicked across his lower half and Stein suddenly felt rather self-conscious.
"Stein, I-" Charlotte began, but Stein pulled her down to lay on his chest, pressing his lips to hers once more. As they kissed, Charlotte couldn't help but to move her womanhood against Stein's covered erection, noticing how it made that heat pooling in her core that much more pleasurable.
"Patience," Stein breathed, "is a virtue, Charlotte." Stein kicked his trousers off before unzipping Charlotte's skirt, watching as she wriggled out of it and sat further up his body.
He swallowed dryly as she removed her bra.
Her body was taut and smooth, and her breasts were pert and round. They sat high on her body and were probably about a C or a D cup – and this was just what Stein discerned from analysing them in the span of five seconds.
"Stein, are you – Whoa!" Charlotte gasped as Stein took the dominant position once more, grasping her breasts fully and rolling them in his hands. Her head tipped back as his thumbs brushed over her sensitive nipple, and she felt that soreness in her lower half again. When his hand delved lower and palmed her through her underwear, that was it.
"Stein," she gasped, "I need you to - please." she was almost begging. She needed her release, and judging by the erection pressing against her thigh, so did Stein. Despite her earlier stark confession, no chances were to be taken. Stein reached over to the table next to his bed and pulled out the drawer, fumbling around for the packet he finally attained.
"Hold this." Stein handed the packet to Charlotte and she took it, fully knowing what it was and what it meant was really going to happen. Stein removed his boxers and took the packet back from Charlotte. It took what seemed like an eternity to roll the condom on, but once it was on, Charlotte gasped.
"Are you okay?" Stein asked, his breathing still fast and frantic. Charlotte nodded and took a deep breath in.
"Yeah. Please, Stein…" Charlotte turned her head to the side as Stein removed her damp underwear.
"I'll be gently, but it still might hurt." Stein spoke gently, and Charlotte nodded.
Stein eased into Charlotte, and she sucked in a breath as she felt her tight lower half stretched to what seemed to be its limit. She was small and Stein was large, and for a moment, she wasn't sure it was going to work.
"Move with me, not against me." Stein had has body pressed against Charlotte's, and once she felt ready, her hands grasped Stein's hips and they moved in unison.
With every movement, Charlotte relaxed some, and Stein's groans reminded her of the earlier pleasure, and it helped.
Stein tipped his head down so that his forehead pressed against Charlotte's and he thrust forward and up slightly, and Charlotte gasped.
"What?" Stein asked, his eyes flicking to hers. Charlotte looked back at Stein but did not speak, but grasped his hips and thrust him in the same direction.
"Keep doing that." she said in an exhale, and Stein took her direction. He continued his movements gently, and Charlotte seemed less uncomfortable. After a while, she began to claw at Stein's back, her breathing speeding up again as she gave more signs that she wanted it, that she was enjoying it.
"Stein… Stein!" Charlotte whimpered as she pulled her body up to press against Stein's chest.
"Charlotte…" he murmured, his groans coming with every thrust now. Even with her lack of experience, she knew that Stein was close.
Very deliberately, with every thrust Stein gave, Charlotte clenched her lower half, and Stein stood no more chance.
"Ch-Charlotte!" Stein called as he thrust forward once more and stilled, Charlotte breathing heavily underneath him as his hands twisted in the sheets. After a few seconds, Stein dropped to the mattress beside her. He protectively wrapped his arms around her and her body fit against his.
"Are you okay?" Stein asked. Charlotte nodded.
"Yeah." she said, in barely a whisper.
"We'll get better." Stein murmured. Charlotte flicker her head around and stared at Stein.
"We'll?" Charlotte raised an eyebrow. Stein nodded and dropped his head.
"Thank you for earlier, Charlotte. I… I don't know what I would have done if you weren't there." Stein admitted. Charlotte turned over and kissed Stein gently on the forehead.
"Whenever you need." she murmured, before her eyes closed and she succumbed to slumber.