"Well, Marie, you have already told you loved him. The kiss shouldn't be that much of a surprise; most people kiss first then get to the "I love you!" stage." Azusa laughed.

"It's just that it's Stein. You know how he is with emotions. I really wish I had kept my eyes open so I could have seen the look on his face though!" Marie curled her legs up underneath herself on the bed. "You just don't understand how he is. I know that people say he doesn't have emotions, but it's really that he's never had to experience them before."

"And he is the one that said "I love you" first." Azusa reminded her, cleaning the lens of her glasses on her shirt.

"He's only said it that one time, but Azusa; if I never hear it again I will never forget how it felt." Marie fell back onto the bed, her hands over her heart. "Maybe I'll wear a white dress with gold embroidery."

"Don't get ahead of yourself! He's not the first one to say "I love you" to you Marie." Azusa said, laughing.

Marie's face crumpled.

"He is." She whispered and burst into tears.

"What? What about Joe? Or any of the others?" Azusa asked, confused. "I thought they were in love with you?"

Marie sniffled. "They said they were, but they never said that they loved me. It's different." She blushed, looking up at Azusa. "But it's different with Stein. He didn't say that he was in love with me. He said "I love you." Short and simple. And he needs me, Azusa. He needs me. And… I need him."

"I'm happy for you, Marie." Azusa said simply. "Maybe you will finally get that wedding you've been dreaming of, you finally have a boyfriend!"

"And what about you, Azusa? Any luck yet? Or are you still 'too busy'?" Marie teased, her eyes widening a little when she saw Azusa blush.

"Tell me!" She squealed, grabbing Azusa's hand. "I know that look! There is someone!"

Azusa quickly pushed her glasses up her nose. "I don't know what you're talking about, Marie."

Marie just grinned. "You know, I have been living with Stein for a while, and I have started picking up some of his habits. Torture, for example."

"What, Marie?" Azusa had time to "Eep!" as the blonde death scythe glomped her, then proceeded to tickle her.

"No!" She called out, giggling as Marie kept tickling.

"Tell me or I'll never stop!"

"Fine, fine!" Azusa's voice squeaked. "I yield!"

Marie sat back, fixing her hair. Patient.

"It's… its Spirit, Marie." Azusa blushed, turning her head to the side.

"What?" Marie was shocked. 'Spirit? Azusa has fallen for Spirit? What?'

"He's not that bad, he's really sweet when he takes the time to think."

"You KNOW what he did to Kami!" Marie exclaimed. "He's just recently getting through the divorce!"

"I know, I know… I just… I don't know, Marie."

"Well, what caused this turn of events then, Azusa? And tell me all the details." Marie planted her elbow on her chin and leaned towards Azusa.

"Well, I've spent the last two nights at his apartment. The first night I was still so worried I woke him up crying, and he came in to see what was wrong…" Azusa trailed off, her blush deepening.

"And?" Marie prompted.

"Well, it ended with him holding me and singing me to sleep." Azusa turned her head.

"Seriously?" Marie asked.

"Yeah… and last night I apparently fell asleep in the car so he just took me to his place rather than wake me up… then this morning he gave me a hug. It was just a hug! But it felt so right, like I had found that piece that was missing, Marie. I think I'm crazier than Stein right now."

Marie started at her friend. "Azusa, you're in love!" She cried out, both women collapsing on the bed, laughing.


"What are they talking about up there?" Stein asked.

"They're women, Stein. They're talking about cupcakes, dolls, work, other women, oh and most importantly, us." Spirit took a deep drag on his cigarette, holding the pack out to Stein. "They're catty creatures, that's for sure, and most don't even realize it."

Stein accepted the cigarette gratefully. "Since when did you start smoking my brand, Spirit?"

"Since they were out of mine when I bought these. Figured if they were horrible, I could just give them to you."

Stein smirked. "Thanks." Stein felt the madness push down on him, noting the clean lines of Spirit's neck, his mind whirling around in circles at the notion of cutting it apart to see the muscle and tissue that it hid. He reached up quickly to turn the screw in his head as Spirit handed his already lit cigarette to Stein so he could light his with it.

"So, Spirit. What is Marie going to learn from Azusa? I'd hate to have to get it second hand from her." Stein smirked. "You two aren't exactly subtle, you know."

"What are you talking about Stein? Your screw wound too tight?" Spirit looked at Stein from the corner of his eye.

"You know what I'm talking about, Spirit. You two were inseparable last night. Even when you were helping me take Marie to bed, Azusa was watching you like she was afraid you'd disappear."

Spirit blinked and turned to face him. "Really?"

"Really." Stein smirked.

"It's nothing, Stein. There's nothing for Marie to hear about."

"Senpai."

"Stein, it really is nothing."

"Senpai." Stein's voice was calm.

"Stein, really."

"Senpai."

"For crying out loud, Stein!" Spirit bowed his head. "I sang her to sleep when she was sobbing over the two of you. Then I gave her a hug this morning."

Stein's laugh was creepier even than the insane laugh Spirit feared so much. "Nothing, Senpai? Emotionally stunted as I am, even I know that that is something!" Stein couldn't stop laughing.

"I know that, Stein. I just don't know what to do."

"Well, don't look to me for advice. I'm still trying to understand Marie."

"At least she's not the Committee!" Both men laughed.


"And what are you boys so happy about?" Came Azusa's voice from the steps as she and Marie came down.

"Oh nothing, Spirit just agreed to an experiment and I was enjoying the moment." Stein said nonchalantly.

"Wait, what?" Spirit stammered.

"Oh, yes." Stein grinned.

"Well, it'll have to wait. I have some obligations that I have to get to, and Spirit is my ride." Azusa said, adjusting her glasses.

Spirit looked relieved beyond words, though he nearly dropped his keys as he pulled them out of his pocket.


As they left, Stein heard Marie move closer to him. He didn't move when she slipped her hand into his, watching them as they left.

"Azusa loves Spirit." Marie said quietly as they watched them drive off.

"Yes, and it appears that Spirit is fighting that emotion as well."

"Really?" Marie looked up at him. "He told you that?"

"Not in so many words, but yes." Stein looked thoughtful. "After all the time he has spent pining over the loss of Kami, I'm surprised that he's allowing himself to fall in love like this. It seems to be rather deep though."

"Yeah, she said he was becoming pretty protective of her. That he even sang her to sleep. That's so romantic." Marie sighed.

'So, singing to someone is considered to be romantic.' Stein filed that thought away. He let his grip tighten around Marie's hand a little.

"Marie, I'm sorry."

She looked at him in surprise. "For what?"

"Earlier. I was attempting to goad a reaction from you, and while it worked, it drove you to leave our home in a weakened state and that could have been a very unwise move. You could have become injured." The glint of light on his glasses hid eyes. "I don't know how I would be able to handle you becoming injured because of something I had done, again."

"I wasn't injured earlier because of you, Stein." Marie said, moving closer to him. "I was injured because we were outmatched. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. You saved my life, Franken. Without you, I'd be in a box in the ground right now." Her voice trailed to a whisper.

Something snapped inside Stein. Another rush of emotions threatened his sanity, and he was rendered speechless trying to process of all them.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Franken." She stood up on her tiptoes again, and quickly pressed her lips against his, igniting another wave of unfamiliar emotions in the scientist. "If anyone has anything to apologize for, it's me."

She stepped back, blushing, looking down. "And I've kissed you twice now without even asking. I'm sorry."

"Marie." She looked up as he moved towards her, his hand moving to cup her chin, tilting her head up so he could meet her lips with his. He had watched Spirit do this enough, it shouldn't be difficult.

Observing someone else kissing could never prepare him for the flood of emotions that overwhelmed his senses when he kissed Marie.

"That's one." He whispered in her ear as he broke the kiss.

"One?" She asked, breathlessly.

He didn't answer, just pulled her close and kissed her again, happy to have her.


A/N: Sorry for the shortness of this chapter. I enjoyed it, even it was mainly building the story line a little more, and it should start to move faster in the next few chapters.
Soul Eater isn't mine, yada yada. Thanks for the reviews and encouragement to keep going!