I do not own Soul Eater

Chapter One: Nightmares

Stein awoke from his light nap. He never awoke from his light naps! Not unless he wanted too! No, something was bothering him. Something urgent… a bathroom call. Once his… business… was relieved the silver haired genius crashed back onto his stitched couch. Normally he could sleep any night, anytime, anywhere yet not now. There was something in the back of his mind. Something itching at his skull, urging him to be awake, this never happened. Stein rolled to his side and reached one hand onto his couch side table. He effortlessly found his smokes. He produced one out of the box and fumbled his hands around in search of a lighter. It was a bad habit but a soothing one for him. Irritated, Stein rose up from his comfortable position and located his lighter. It had been just out of his reach. He smiled a faint ghost of a smile and placed the cigarette to his lips.

A bitter taste scorched his tongue and gave his throat a slight tingle. Stein shivered with delight. Nothing could top a late night cigarette. He inhaled sharply, allowing the smoke into his lungs and let out a low cough. Losing himself in his cigarette Stein lost track of time. Soon, he realized he was smoking nothing but the filter. Tonight was odd. There was indeed something on his mind but what?

Stein flicked the filter to his side into his ashtray and reclined back. His thoughts began to wander until they reached her. Stein could still remember her cool, confident and commanding presence. How she demanded everything and wanted nothing but submission and control. It sent a tingle down his spine. Just thinking of her was enough to make this mad Doctor stir crazy. With a glaze in his eye, Stein rushed to his bathroom again.

He splashed water continually on his face until he resigned that this would do nothing but increase his water bill. An agitated sigh escaped him. Tonight was odd. Stein had long ago locked away these feelings. He vowed he would never feel this way again, never. Still, some part of him yearned for her, pleaded for her embrace. Stein looked into his cracked mirror in disgust. He was a man of science and reason, not some wishy washy hormone driven teenager! Love wasn't something he believed in, not really. It wasn't something the heart controlled. It was hormones and the release of chemicals in the brain. Yet, here he was some part of his brain drowning in hormones and chemicals for her. He could feel his heartbeat accelerating now. Sweat protruded from his brow and down his face. He really wanted to dissect something. That's when that ghost of a thought entered into his mind. She was lying on his table. Nothing but a single medical sheet covering her frame while he stood draped over her. She exhaled one short breathe and longingly caressed the side of his slender masculine face. Her lips began to passionately explore every inch of Stein. Within moments she had taken control.

Stein forced himself into his shower and turned the cold water on full blast. He was still clothed but it didn't matter. He slammed a single hand onto the side of the shower wall and bit his lip until coppery blood licked at the roof of his mouth. Stein wrenched off his shirt and stood under the water until he felt himself again. Looking to his water soaked pants, Stein sighed. Tonight was not just odd it was border line aggravating!

Stein nearly broke the cold water handle as turned the shower off. He did not even bother to towel off and floated to his room in a daze. Everything passed in a blur. Without even realizing it Stein was already in his bed. Water soaked into his bedding as he tossed and turned on his dissection table turned double wide mattress. Stein was filled with many questions about his relationship…no, his tryst with her but Stein only wanted an answer to one, why now? Nearly a year's time had passed. Yet for some reason her essence lingered with him. Was it her touch that called to him? No, Stein was not a man who succumbed to carnal instinct, not normally. Nothing was making sense.

On a normal night Stein would be awake until the break of dawn working on a formula or experiment. A ritual Stein would never intentionally break. For now he was resigned to a restless night of sleep and hope that a fresh start would take away these urges. That would not be the case. His mind wandered again and she was still there. Now, the role had been reversed. He was strapped down in tight shreds of cloth to his personal dissection table. She wore nothing, save for a silk garment that left little to his imagination. Madness! Stein mouthed to his empty pillow, where her head once used to lay. The pillow's only response was to tickle his nose with a familiar aroma, her perfume. Son of a… I washed that thing several times! Stein thought as her succulent perfume further reminded him of her. This continued well on into the night until finally Stein was able to fall into a light dream filled sleep. Stein rarely had such vivid dreams. In truth he rarely dreamt of anything. When he slept all of Stein slept. Yet along with her memories there also came dreams.

He was in a field set ablaze. Hot smoke and embers danced all around him. He tried to run but snakes of all shapes and sizes held him to the ground. She emerged from nothing. Flames swirled and spun around her tight frame as if she were smoke. Her eyes seemed to light up and a childlike grin spread to either side of her beautiful face. She glided over to Stein and pushed herself against him.

"Doctor Stein, it's so good to see you again." Stein refused to look at her. Only until Stein felt her warm hand cupping his cheek did he look up.

"Leave." Stein muttered. He wasn't even sure he had really said anything. He must have. Medusa's smiled even more and lightly squeezed him with her smooth slender legs.

"Not until I hear you say those three little words." Medusa said soothingly as she lightly traced her finger across Stein's neck and chest.

"Will you die?" Stein spat. Medusa licked her lips and forcefully kissed Stein. At first he fought her embrace but soon he was hunting for it. Soon he broke her hold on him and tried to free himself. Medusa stared down into his near dead gray eyes and whispered into his ear.

"Do you always have to fight me?" Stein felt himself form a faint smirk. Medusa caressed his face and kissed him a final time on the forehead.

"Does it irritate you?" Stein asked curtly. Medusa's only answer was to glance longingly into Stein's eyes and bat her soft eyelashes at him.

"Nothing you do can irritate me." Medusa said with a light sigh. Stein wiggled a little and turned his gaze from her and uttered gravelly

"Whatever happened between us is over. Now would you mind letting me go?" With that her features darkened. Medusa narrowed her eyes slightly and stood over Stein. She flicked her finger once and on command the snakes that bound Stein forced him to his feet. Medusa paced around Stein and walked behind him. She placed a single hand onto his shoulder and hissed.

"You need me Stein." Medusa curled her fingers around in his soft silvery gray hair and gave it short but firm tug until his head snapped backward toward her. With his neck exposed Medusa gave it a quick kiss and a sharp but quick bite that drew a small drop of blood.

"Don't forget that, ever."

"I think I found something that irritates you." Stein remarked casually as if he had stumbled upon a new formula.

"You think so?" Medusa mused as she licked away the blood that had stained her lips. With another flick of her finger every snake around Stein began to uncoil. Once he was free Stein rubbed his wrists and began walking away. He did not get far. The once distant fire had now consumed most of the field and had encircled both Medusa and he. With a grave slow movement Stein turned back to face Medusa. Her eyes just seemed to twinkle at the fact that he was forced to remain at her side.

"Why now?" Stein asked with a harsh roughness in his voice. Medusa chided him with a laugh and stepped back toward the flame.

"Why indeed."

"Tell me!" Stein ordered. Medusa only stepped closer to the flame.

"I already told you, Stein. You need me and I want you. What more an answer can I give?" Before Stein could ask anything more, darkness overtook the field.