Brief Commentary:
I like this one. :D Expect something from Medusa's POV next time, although that's going to be harder to write from. Oh well. I like challenges!
Do just what I tell you
And no one will get hurt
Don't come any closer
'Cause I dunno how long I can hold my heart in two
Love is Useless
It was the morning after Kishin's revival, Stein finding himself falling asleep at his computer from his lack of energy. Shibusen was in a bit of a haze, but whether this was the shock from the return of Kishin and the failure to stop him, or the heavy swirl of insanity, he could not be sure. None the less, the previous evening that lead into the early hours of the morning had taken its toll on him, and Stein found it difficult to concentrate on anything.
He jerked slightly at the sound of the heavy door to his laboratory creaking and scratching open. Turning his head to view the newcomer, he was unsurprised to see that it was Spirit, face a little pale and his hands a little shaky. Stein wondered if this was because of him - while they were still attending Shibusen, the red-haired demon weapon had never hesitated in informing him when he looked "terrifying."
"You needed something?" he swiveled his chair around to face Spirit directly.
"Ah, yes," he hesitated, before entering Stein's laboratory. The door swung shut by itself, and he was amused when he saw the Death Scythe jump at the loud noise.
"Shinigami-sama and I have a question for you, concerning Medusa," Spirit said quietly, finding a wooden stool and sitting on it.
"I see," Stein reached for a cigarette, sliding it onto its usual place on his lips as he searched for a lighter under the scattered notes and papers. They were quite embarrassingly unorganized, but he had bigger problems to worry about.
"For important purposes, obviously, we need to know whether or not you...err," he cleared his throat, the continuation of his sentence coming out in a very fast manner. "...feel or felt any sort of affections towards Medusa."
"Do I love Medusa?"
He felt a small rise of satisfaction as he found one of his favorite lighters (this one was decorated elaborately with skulls) and lifted it to the cigarette, drawing in the smell of tobacco as the end began to glow a soft orange. He set the lighter back down on his desk, fingers flying to the health-hazard between his lips to draw it back out and exhale. He shaped Shinigami's trademark skull in the air, before turning to look back at Spirit again.
"Well, to put it bluntly, yes," the Death Scythe spluttered, obviously embarrassed. Stein recognized this with surprise - the man before him had never been shy when it came to the topic of loving a woman. Now, how you loved a woman depended on who Spirit was seeing most often, but that was beyond the subject...
"No," Stein assured him, voice clear and relaxed. Any anxiety seemed to slip from Spirit's face, and a small smile of relief was present where a nervous frown had been before.
"I see, well, that's good," he tried to laugh, but it sounded as though he were choking on something. "We just wanted to make sure; it's not as though Shinigami-sama is suspicious of you or anything, but it's still best to...well, you understand."
He waved his hand to show that he did.
"Who has been assigned school nurse in Medusa's place?"
"Ah, Sid's partner, Nygus," Spirit nodded.
"Good choice," Stein place the cigarette back in his mouth. "I understand she has extensive medical knowledge?"
"She does," the Death Sycthe stood up, already making for the door. As he opened it, he muttered, just loud enough for Stein to hear, "Damn it, Stein, don't forget to eat."
And he was gone. He chuckled at his former-weapon's parting phrase, before turning back to the computer screen again.
Stein had been telling the truth when he said he didn't love Medusa. However, Spirit had failed to ask whether or not he was attracted to the snake witch. For he was. The Death Scythe had failed to notice the way the mad scientist's entire body had trembled at the sound of her name, and the sweaty shaking of his fingers as he had lit his cigarette. He couldn't have seen the obscene mental images Stein had brought to the surface of his mind, willingly or not.
Stein didn't love Medusa. Love was a useless, stupid, foolish emotion that usually preceded an urge for human beings to mate.
However, he did want her. Terribly so. Even if she was considered dead, he knew it would be more difficult than that to actually kill her. Medusa was still out there. And as long as the witch would live, Stein would crave her more than most anything else; her skin, her hair, her lips, her voice, her body itself...
He shuddered.
No, he definitely did not love Medusa.