When The Catchers Comes – acethebatdog2039 – Franken Stein/Spirit Albarn –Soul Eater
The battle was over. They won… well Maka won. His little girl had just beaten a Kishin. His daughter! He was proud. Spirit slowly picked himself off the floor of the Death Room. His legs felt weak under him. He thought he was going to fall but someone caught him. "Easy Spirit, you shouldn't rush it," A voice said softly. He knew that voice. "Sit back down, please." Spirit looked up at his former partner. "Stein," he muttered.
"You're injured Spirit, the last thing you need to do is stand up and tackle your daughter." Spirit sighed but h knew his friend was right. The younger man sighed and with help from Stein sat back down on the floor. "Stein?"
The professor hummed looking down at his former weapon. "Not feeling very well…" Stein kneaded down next to the red head. "Spirit? What's the matter?" Lord Death appeared next to them. Spirit's eyes fluttered closed leaning against Stein as he fell unconscious.
His eyes fluttered opened slowly. Soft voices could be heard, worried soft voices. "Spirit?" His eyes closed again before reopening. "S-stein?" The doctor smiled softly at the other man.
"Glad to see you awake again, friend." The doctor helped the Death Scythe sit up for some water, while doing that the doctor informed the man about his injuries and the reason why he blacked out. "How's Maka?" His voice was rough.
"She's alright. A few cuts and bruises but nothing time can't heal." Stein smiled softly. "Checked her over along with the rest of the team, sent them all home for some rest. Maka stopped by a little bit ago to check on you."
"She did…?"
"Of course she did. Now get some more rest I'll be at the desk if you need me."
When he awoke the next day someone was reading to him, his head turned to look at the person reading to him. "Maka…" She turned a page and kept reading. She gave him a small smile turning the page again putting the book marker closing the book. "How you feeling, Papa?"
He sat up grimacing. "Papa?" He waved her off. "I'm fine, Maka. How are feeling, my girl?" He grimaced again sitting up against the pillow. His daughter shrugged looking away from her father. "Professor Stein said you were hurt badly." She bit her lip. "He said you passed out… that your liver… your liver ruptured."
'You are a weapon partner! That means you always must be prepared to die for your Meister!' Lord Death's voice was heard clear inside his head on his first day of class at the Academy. "If I was to die for Lord Death then I would gladly lay down my life for him." Maka looked away. Her father was right. From what she was told from Kid her father took blunt of the blast from Asura, she wasn't sure how he was able not to let his wound affect him while the rest of the battle was going on. "Read some more please." He asked gently, his voice snapping her from her thoughts. Maka nodded picking up the book.
Weeks later Spirit was up and walking, with the aid of a cane. While the children were almost fully healed he was taking longer than he wanted. Stein said something about his age, Spirit wouldn't have thought anything about it but Lord Death agreed with the mad doctor. Spirit grumbled as he walked out of the Death Room. "Spirit!" Stein shouted chasing after him. "Spirit wait up!" The doctor grabbed his arm, but the scythe jerked his arm away. "Oh come on Spirit, I was only teasing." The scythe huffed loudly as he continued to walk down the hall. The doctor followed behind staying quiet this time. He would let the scythe throw his little fit.
The doctor remained close to the other man; Spirit was still a bit unsteady on his feet. The man's recovery was set back a few weeks by a fall when Spirit was out with Maka. He knew his weapon didn't want to appear weak in front of his daughter.
Stein heard a soft gasp as Spirit started to fall. Stein reached him in time before Spirit fell over. "I'm fine, leave me alone." His arm slipped around Spirit's waist. "Stop being a stubborn pain in the ass and let me help you." The other man huffed and nodded softly. "Let me help you get to your room, Spirit." The weapon leaned on his former Meister.
Helping Spirit in his bed, Stein removed Spirit's shoes. "Do you want me to stay?" The doctor asked gently. "Do you want to stay? That's the real question. You can stay as long you don't conduct experiments on me."
"There's one experiment I would like to conduct on you," the doctor teased lightly. Spirit raised an eyebrow. "What?" Stein shook his head. "Nothing." The doctor gave him a small smile going to the small kitchen area getting Spirit a glass of water and pills. "I think you'll be able to move around better in the next few days if you rest some more." He pushed the pills into Spirit's hand holding the glass of water for the weapon. "Drink this and sleep." Stein put the glass on the bedside table turning around to leave.
"Stein please stay." The man's voice was soft. "At least till I fall asleep?" Stein sat on the edge of the bed. "Are you still having the dream, Spirit?" The weapon nodded, Stein patted his leg. "Alright, I'll stay. But only till you fall asleep."
Spirit rolled to his good side into the source of the warmth next to him. The doctor's hand slipped under him curling around his back pulling him closer. "Stein, what are you doing?" The doctor pushed some red hair out of weapon's face. "I can't turn my head and I want to snuggle." The scythe chuckled smiling as he relaxed into the man's hold laying his head on the mad doctor's shoulder. "That's your own damn fault. Stupid screw." Stein rolled his eyes. "Yes, thank you for that."
Spirit gave him a tiny kiss on the chin. "Thank you." The scythe sighed softly. "Thank you? For what Spirit?" The doctor returned the kiss but to the man's forehead. "For taking good care of me these last few weeks." Stein smiled softly, "No, thank you Spirit. Thank you for keeping me sane all these years." Stein gave the weapon another kiss this time not on his forehead but a gentle one on the lips. When they broke apart Spirit nuzzled the other man. "Well I tried after all." Stein grinned pulling Spirit on top of him. "Not hard enough."
A/N: Well I hope you enjoyed my first Soul Eater fanfic. I have never read the manga, only seen the anime, so I hope you all enjoyed it.
-Ace
