It wasn't supposed to happen like this.

There were no promises of eternal love. There had been no promises of children, of a happy life after; no promises that either of them would live to see the next year, much less a life together. But as her hands twisted in the sheets, her back arching up and pressing her against his body, she didn't care.

It wasn't supposed to happen here.

She was drunk- and it was in that haze when she could finally process the pain of Joe's death without bursting into a fresh bout of tears that she realized she couldn't idly wait around anymore. Fate had given her a second chance with Joe only to rip it away from her. So she had downed another glass, Stein sitting with his back to her, and she had moved to him.

She had expected to be rejected, her hands sliding down his chest as she leaned against his back, her cheek pressed to the back of his head. He had stiffened, but relaxed. Maybe it was the madness, maybe he was beginning to realize the same thing that she had.

She didn't care.

He had turned his head towards her, and she arched over to kiss him. He hadn't struggled as she tugged his shirt off- had helped her remove her own. He had crushed her to his chest, reminding her of the strength that he could use against her if he slipped, and removed her bra with one hand. His head had slipped to her neck and his lips were so warm against her throat that she-

She couldn't think.

Her fingers curled against the back of his hand as she cried out, her other hand clutching the pillow above her head in a white knuckled grip. He arched over her, pulling back slightly before giving her exactly what she wanted. Both were breathing heavily; it was all that she could do to keep herself from letting go of what little self-control she had left.

She was trembling.

The effort it took to keep from grinding against him, to keep her breathing heavy and not a panting gasp that begged him for anything and everything, was a surprise to her. With each thrust she moaned a cry, not wanting it to end, afraid of it to end, wanting it to reach a boiling point and explode.

And then he changed tactics, moving slowly, his head lowered almost to hers, and she opened her eyes to see a strained smirk on the man's face. He spoke, quietly, in a voice only ever meant for her to hear, and she couldn't help the gasp as he snapped his hips, driving himself into her, hitting a spot that she had thought almost a myth.

"I know you."

His hand trailed down her chest, stroking her breast as it did, and dropped lower to find another spot that she was intimately familiar with. She couldn't keep herself from crying out, her control snapping as she arched desperately against him. His hand tightened on hers, keeping her pinned to the bed as he repeated the movements.

He was driving her crazy.

She almost didn't notice the trembling that was spreading through his body, the sheen of sweat on his face and shoulders; she almost missed it, her breathy gasps a hair away from cries, but she forced herself to open her eyes to stare at him and saw it.

She couldn't even bring herself to take advantage of it- her body acting on instinct, everything happening in a rush that she couldn't stop and she cried out into his mouth as he kissed her, plunging deeply inside and she could feel a pulsing, throbbing warmth spread through her as she plummeted over the edge herself.

Happiness mixed with sorrow.

She lay curled against his side that night, and the rest of the nights that they were away from Death City searching for Joe's killer. She didn't expect what had happened to repeat itself, but it did. She didn't know if she had finally found love or if this was just something cathartic for them both.

Then she knew. He asked her, quietly, in the dark, to stay. He told her, when she couldn't see his face in the darkness, that he wanted her to stay.

He thought she was asleep.

She wasn't. She would never let him know that she had heard him, never ask him if he had been awake himself when he had spoken to her, and he never spoke of it. He also never asked her to stay, but neither did he ever mention her departure.

They revenged Joe. They defeated the Kishin.

And she was pregnant, Stein's words echoing in her ears.

"We change as well."

A/N: Ok, that was an excuse for smut. Not very detailed, but just how this one came out. I've put it off since I read 113. I've fought it. I really have. But now… I couldn't do it anymore. I hope you enjoyed :)

I don't own Soul Eater.