Prompt by symmetrical-neko on Tumblr. I don't own Soul Eater, guys. No matter how much I want to…

Of Monsters and Demons, Chapter 11

Set-Up on Stage

Description: When a high-stakes bet is proposed among the staff of the DWMA, Marie has the perfect plan to win. A plan that involves teaching Crona to play the lute, keeping Soul and Maka distracted, and getting Tsubaki and Black*Star to kiss while dressed as Maid Marian and Robin Hood. Fluff Eater! Main pairing: TsuStar

Conversations in the DWMA teacher's longue always managed to be interesting. Even if they weren't, the subject would be quickly picked up by someone else and changed for the better. One of the most popular topics for discussion was the relationship statuses of their students.

"I think I saw Tsubaki and Black*Star holding hands today!" Marie smiled as she poured herself some coffee. "Those two are just so cute together, don't you think?"

Nygus glanced over at the blonde. "Actually, I saw Soul and Maka holding hands about a month ago," She stated. "I can't say I'm surprised."

Spirit visibly paled. "My darling daughter was holding hands with that juvenile delinquent?!" He exclaimed. His brow furrowed. "My fists are gonna have to have a talk with Soul…"

Marie sighed, turning around and leaning against the counter as she sipped her coffee. "You're overreacting, Spirit," She assured him, "I'm sure that Tsubaki and Black*Star will kiss long before Maka and Soul."

Stein wheeled in the door just in time to see his sempai collapse in a fatherly faint. The grey-haired meister twisted his bolt for a moment, looking down at the redhead, before turning his gaze up at the others. "What's his problem?" He mumbled as he scooted further into the room on his stitched-up office chair.

"He's freaking out over the fact that his daughter and Eater might get together soon," Stated Sid, having been casually observing the debate from the other side of the room.

Stein blinked once, then stood from his chair and made his way over to the coffee machine. "My money's on Kid and Crona," He said nonchalantly.

The room fell silent for a moment as everyone stared at Stein, in shock from his sudden revelation, although Sid could barely be heard whispering to Nygus, "Is Crona even a girl?" To which his partner shrugged.

After those few seconds of quiet, an uncharacteristic smirk began to form on Marie's lips. "You'd put money on it, then?" Questioned the Death Scythe, to which Stein nodded while he sipped his own coffee. Nygus raised an eyebrow at her friend's growing smirk as Marie declared, "I bet you fifty bucks that Tsubaki and Black*Star will kiss before Kid and Crona."

All eyes set on Marie, including Spirit's, who had regained consciousness just in time to hear Marie's statement. He jumped up quickly. "I'll bet a hundred that they'll get together before Soul and Maka!" He proclaimed, obviously very confident. Making a bet that he'd obviously win was a good way to get easy money, after all.

Nygus put her hands on her hips. "I'll bet on that," She replied, equally confident.

Stein nodded. "All right."

"Then the bet's on!" Marie grinned. "Whichever teacher sees the couple they support kiss first will get a hundred dollars from everyone that loses!"

"Agreed!" Settled the others.

"Now, hold on, guys," Sid interrupted, stepping forward into the little debate circle. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he said, "Everyone knows that Kim and Ox will kiss first."

Thus began the bet that would soon become legend among the staff of the DWMA.

Most everyone at Shibusen was surprised when Marie Mjolnir announced that Lord Death had approved her proposal for a school play that she had written. As far as anyone could remember, that school never had a drama class, not to mention a performance. Actually, no one could recall any event hosted by the Academy- or the city, for that matter- that didn't pertain to fighting or duels in some way. Even more unexpected was the fact that the blonde Death Scythe entirely skipped auditions and went right to placing the cast list on the bulletin board on a large poster.

Kid tilted his head to the side as he stared at it. "Well… It's placed fairly symmetrically, so I have to give Marie a little credit," He said. "But… 'Fairly' isn't good enough," Muttered the young Reaper, eye twitching. Patty and Liz grabbed one of their meister's arms each to keep him from tearing up the poster. Their group of friends was assembled in front of the board, looking over the cast list.

"I think it's pretty inconvenient that Marie put a poster about a play on a bulletin board that's used for posting missions," Maka pointed out, crossing her arms, as Crona read the title.

"Robin Hood?" She said quietly. "What's that?"

Soul groaned a little. "You're cast as the minstrel and you've never even heard of Robin Hood?" He said, to which Maka elbowed him in the ribs.

Tsubaki stared at the cast list with wide eyes as Black*Star read over it.

"Kid, Sherriff of Nottingham. Go figure, you're both stuck-up," He read out loud, either ignoring Kid's shout of protest or just not hearing it. "Fire and Thunder are guards, Ox and Harvar are soldiers… Maka, Patty, Kim, Jackie, and Liz are all Merry Men, Killik's Friar Tuck, and Soul's Little John… Hey, look at that!" The young ninja grinned, pointing at the largest names at the bottom of the poster. "I'm Robin Hood! Awesome!"

Tsubaki gulped. "A-and I'm… Maid Marian…" She said softly, more timid than usual, before Black*Star threw his arm around her.

"Isn't that great?! We get to be the stars of the show!" He proclaimed. "Not like I wasn't a star already, though! HAHA!"

Noticing her friend's anxious look, Maka reached out to touch Tsubaki's other shoulder. "Hey, Black*Star?" She said quietly, "How about you, uh… Lecture Soul about how to be a good second-in-command, all right?" The blonde smiled a little.

Black*Star shot Maka a knowing smirk. "I get ya. I gotta take your weapon down a peg or two if he's gonna be my Little John," He said, swaggering over to Soul. Upon managing to distract the blue-haired narcissist, Maka pulled Tsubaki aside.

"Are you okay?" She asked quietly. "You seem a little stressed. Do you get stage fright?"

Tsubaki looked into her friend's kind and gentle eyes, trying to think of how much to tell her. She shook her head and sighed, wrapping her arms around herself. "It's just… My casting," She said softly. "I don't think I can be Maid Marian."

Maka smiled gently. "Well, I can help you learn your lines if you need to," She said, but Tsubaki cut her off.

"No, it's not that," She said quietly. "I just… I don't think I can be Maid Marian if Black*Star's Robin Hood."

Maka tilted her head a small bit in confusion, but then a knowing look entered her eyes. "Oh," She said slowly.

Tsubaki nodded, turning her face towards the floor. "It'd be awkward," She confessed. "I…" She paused, taking a deep breath. "You see… I have a crush on Black*Star." Her confession came as no surprise to Maka, but she didn't interrupt. "I know I shouldn't!" Tsubaki added quickly, "Because we're just partners and all, and he's probably not attracted to me at all like I am to his hair and his eyes and his toned body… Help me!" Yelped the Dark Arm, twirling her ponytail nervously upon realizing that she had started rambling.

Maka watched her friend, concerned on multiple levels. "I-it's okay, Tsubaki," She stuttered as she tried to console her, placing her hand on her shoulder again. "I'm sure it won't be a problem. It's just a play, right?" She smiled.

Tsubaki nodded. "You're right," She took a deep breath. "It's just a play. Hopefully Black*Star won't see anything I do as a romantic gesture… But I kind of want him to…" She sighed, shaking her head. The Dark Arm hated being conflicted. "I'll see you later," She told Maka before scurrying off, pulling her meister away from Soul and practically dragging him home.

Play practice began the next day after school, and would commence that way for the next month. There were immediate protests from the cast and crew when they realized how little time Marie had given them to practice, but the Death Scythe refused to change the date of opening night.

"I'm sure you all can learn your parts in a month!" She smiled at them. She wanted to win that bet as soon as possible, and even though that may have left the month open for her rival pairings to get ahead, it also ensured that they'd all be too busy stressfully memorizing their parts to discuss anything related to romance. In addition, she had a surefire plan to get Tsubaki and Black*Star to meet each other's lips.

The last scene involved a kiss between Marian and Robin.

Tsubaki's face flushed red when she read through the script.

"B-black*Star?" Stuttered the raven-haired weapon as she glanced towards her meister. The two were situated in the back row of the DWMA's auditorium, and Tsubaki had just finished reading over her script. Black*Star had merely been reclining in his seat, his feet propped on the back of the chair in front of him. The young ninja glanced towards his partner.

"Yeah? What's up?" He asked. Tsubaki turned away from his gaze, directing her attention to the stage as she spoke, where Marie seemed to be trying to teach Crona how to play the lute.

"Have you… Read over your lines?" She said.

Black*Star chuckled. "Nope. The star of the show doesn't need to look over his lines," He boasted, throwing his arms behind his head and leaning back once more. "I'll get it down, don't worry. Besides, it's just Robin Hood, right? Pretty simple. Rob from the poor to give the rich, right?"

Tsubaki couldn't help but smile at her partner's blunder. His confident attitude and animated laugh would always lift her spirits, even from the folds of embarrassment. "I think you have that backwards, Black*Star," She told him.

Black*Star raised an eyebrow. He thought over his words for a moment, but then burst out laughing. "Oh, right!" He grinned. "Yep, it's the other way around! Gotta get that straight, eh?" He beamed at her. Tsubaki smiled and nodded in response. Maybe the play wouldn't be that bad, she thought.

Even so, whenever the final scene was practiced throughout the following month, Tsubaki always managed to find some excuse to leave early with her meister in tow. Black*Star didn't question why they continuously left during practice, nor why they never rehearsed the last act. He trusted his partner; she knew what was best for him, and if she didn't think he needed to practice, then he didn't. As a result, the two were even absent from the dress rehearsal, to the continuous disappointment of Marie.

Stein walked up next to his weapon as Tsubaki pulled Black*Star out the door on that last day of practice. "Even though you cheated, seems like your choice couple has found a loophole," He stated, lighting a cigarette. Marie glared slightly at him, but then a glint lit in her eye.

"I'm not cheating. I'm simply giving them a friendly push like the good teacher I am," She told him, "And they'll have no choice but to kiss tomorrow on opening night." As an extra burn, she added, "So how are Kid and Crona doing?"

Stein glanced down at her, giving her a slight evil eye. "Another cheat. Kid's been practicing his role diligently to get it perfect and Crona's occupied with trying to learn to play the lute. She's not doing well, by the way," He said. "This play is going to be a total flop. It's not even really based off any real legend of Robin Hood; you just wove it together to fit your contrived purposes."

Marie shrugged. "It'll be worth the three hundred bucks Spirit and I will each get after Black*Star and Tsubaki kiss each other in front of the whole school," She told him, happily sighing a little. "They're both so cute together… And I'll make them realize it, even if I have to force them," She smiled brightly.

Stein let out a puff of smoke. "Your ominous statement doesn't match your cheerful grin…" He said, but was ignored.

True to his word, Black*Star didn't look at his lines once over the course of the month, although he managed to learn his part surprisingly well. True, most of his lines were slightly different each time he said them, but he had most of the play down. Everything except the final scene, which Tsubaki explained to him as far as she was comfortable.

"There's an archery contest at the end," She told him. "After Robin wins, the Sheriff will realize it's him and fight Robin. The Merry Men and the soldiers and guards fight, and Robin and his band win and cry out 'long live King Richard,'" Described the Dark Arm. She conveniently left out the part about the winner of the tournament receiving a kiss from Maid Marian before asking her to run away with him to Sherwood.

Black*Star grinned in reply, shouldering his prop bow and quiver. "We've been over this, Tsubaki. Don't worry; I've got it," He beamed at her. Tsubaki smiled, swallowing her own anxiety at her meister's confident grin, but her unease continued to quietly claw at the back of her mind.

"I know you do," She said as she adjusted her pink costume dress.

"Places, everyone!" Marie declared, coming off the stage. She had just given the introduction to the program, which meant it was time for the narrator's first part. "Crona, you're up! Break a leg and knock 'em dead!"

Crona glanced up at Marie from her corner. "That sounds dangerous," She whimpered, turning back to her lap. "And I don't know how to deal with big crowds…" Being the minstrel, she was supposed to play a few chords on her lute before narrating the start of each scene.

Marie sighed. She strode over to Crona, pulling her up and dragging her over to the stage. "Come on, dear. You'll be fine," She coaxed her, but the pink-haired teen dug her heels into the floor and wouldn't budge. Marie sighed again, turning to Maka and Kid. "Get her on stage," She whispered harshly.

Kid and Maka had to forcibly push Crona on stage and then scramble off, leaving the malnourished meister standing on the far left of the set. Her eyes expanded to the size of dinner plates as she heard chuckling from the audience. Her entire body locked up and she began shaking violently.

Maka looked out at the stage with concern. "Crona," She whispered, "Play your lute."

Sweat began to bead on Crona's brow. She gulped once, strung a meager and out-of-tune chord on her lute, and then scrambled back behind the curtain to cling to Kid. Upon realizing her invasion of the young Reaper's personal space, dark tints began to spread across her face as she began to blush black, and she pulled away swiftly.

"I-I need a moment," She stammered, before speedily striding over to her corner and curling up in the floor, facing the wall. Kid blushed a little as well, but quickly gained his composure and went back on stage for his part. Though she was concerned for Crona, Marie couldn't help feeling a little relieved that Kid hadn't taken that opportunity to kiss her.

Needless to say, Crona didn't go back on stage for the rest of the production. Most of the rest of the play went on without a hitch, however, until that dreaded final scene.

Tsubaki attempted to calm down her nerves for most of the play, reciting her lines perfectly and with the skill of a professional. At the start of the last act, however, she began fidgeting.

Black*Star grinned after the scene in the play where Robin had just won the archery contest. He slung his bow back over his shoulder, turning to Kid as the young Reaper spoke.

"In addition to a generous cash prize," Declared Kid, or the Sheriff of Nottingham, "The winner of the archery tournament shall now receive a kiss from Maid Marian!"

Black*Star laughed boisterously, going with it. "Well, of course I-!" He cut off suddenly. Tsubaki saw the knowing look in her meister's eyes as he put the pieces together, and his gaze darted towards her. "Wait… What?" He said slowly. The Dark Arm flushed red as she looked towards her lap.

Noticing the uncomfortable air, Kid cleared his throat. "Well, you would," He said, but a twisted smirk then spread across his face, "If you weren't Robin Hood! Strip him of his disguise!"

Ox and Harvar darted forward on Black*Star, pulling off his fake beard before the meister could blink. He was still in shock from the previous revelation, but only for another moment. He began acting again, whistling the shrill and signature call that cued the Merry Men. With a mighty cry, the actors sprung from the crowd and began "attacking" the Sheriff and his guards, while Black*Star stole over to Tsubaki and offered her his hand, as was in the script.

"My lady, we must get you out of here," He said, looking into his weapon's eyes. Tsubaki looked back for a moment, staring into those pools of green, and suddenly she couldn't control her emotions anymore.

"Do you not want to kiss me?" She said abruptly. Black*Star blinked.

"What?" He said. He was pretty sure that what she was saying wasn't scripted.

From the side of the stage, Marie was biting her lip. She could almost feel Stein's smirk from the audience; this wasn't the plan.

Tsubaki sighed. "Do you not want to kiss me?" She said, louder. "I saw how nervous you looked when K… The Sheriff mentioned your prize," She stated, having temporarily forgotten that she was in a play. She was about to correct herself and just say one of her lines in an attempt to cover her blunder, but Black*Star set his jaw.

"What are you talking about? Of course I want to!" He blurted out. Tsubaki's eyes widened, and she knew from the blue-haired ninja's expression that he wasn't acting either. "It's just… Kinda sudden, ya know? This wasn't how I expected a first kiss. Heck, we're not even dating yet!"

Tsubaki sighed. "But… I thought that you thought we were just friends," She murmured.

Black*Star crossed his arms. The fight was being taken a bit too seriously by some of the other actors, but he wasn't paying attention to them. "That's how I thought you thought," He admitted, "Am I wrong?"

Tsubaki looked up at him again. Silence stretched between them for a minute. "… Yes," She confessed, ending the quiet. "Black… Robin, you make me strong. Without you I'm a nervous wreck," She said. "I just… Do I mean anything to you? Or am I just your partner that you'd maybe kiss because I just happen to be there?"

Maka and Ox were both getting riled, and it got to the point where Maka instinctively reached out and cluched Soul's hand. The scythe smirked, knowing the silent command well, and shifted into his metal form in a burst of light. Ox caught on, grabbing Harvar and having him transform as well.

Black*Star frowned. "No," He said quickly. "You're the only girl that'll ever be worth my affection. The only one that sticks around when I start telling the world how great I am," He uttered. "I've never thought of kissing anyone but you. You're my partner," He declared, pointing to her. "My Maid Marian. No other girl is great enough to be mine, and no other guy is great enough to be yours. We deserve each other," He began to beam as his pointing finger became a thumbs-up.

The audience was overwhelmed by the twofold scene before them. The debate between lovers was just as captivating as the fight occurring on the other side of the stage, instigated by Maka and Ox. Blades clashed loudly, but Black*Star and Tsubaki barely noticed.

The Dark Arm smiled. Ease flooded her mind at her meister's words. "I'm really not that great," She said softly. To her surprise, Black*Star laughed at her statement.

"Who are you kiddin'? You're the best ever!" He grinned. "The prettiest, the strongest, and the nicest girl in the entire world!" Announced the blue-haired Robin Hood.

Tsubaki felt a blush creeping across her cheeks. "If you say so," She murmured, but then chuckled a little, "Robin Hood." She reached out, taking his hand. "May I run away with you to Sherwood?" She asked, to which Black*Star laughed once more. Tsubaki loved that laugh.

"Of course, my lady," He beamed.

Marie had been in various stages of stress and worry for the entire scene. Her pairing had missed their cue, had started an argument, and on top of that, they were about to walk of the stage without ensuring Marie's win in her bet.

When Tsubaki stepped close to Black*Star to walk past him, the younger teen didn't move. Tsubaki turned to him, puzzled, but the blue-haired ninja surprised her by turning at the same moment and locking her lips with his. Tsubaki's eyes widened, and when Black*Star slowly pulled away, even the audience's collective "Aaaawwww" didn't distract her from her meister's brilliant green eyes. Black*Star stared contentedly into the indigo irises of his partner, before his face broke out into another grin.

"Come on," He said, leading her off stage. Marie was literally jumping up and down. Meanwhile in the audience, Sid, Nygus, and Stein were about to be short two hundred bucks each, while Spirit was grinning.

Noticing that the rest of her "comrades" were leaving the stage after Black*Star, Maka turned to the audience and raised Soul high.

"LONG LIVE KING RICHARD!" She shouted, before running off the stage. As the curtains closed on the final act, the audience gave a standing ovation.

"THAT'S MY BABY GIRL!" Shouted Spirit.

The DWMA's production of "Robin Hood" was a smashing success. The reviews in Death City's newspaper "Obituaries and Other News" praised the play's intriguing new take on the romance between Robin and Marian, while saying that it also presented the amazing duels that the DWMA was legendary for. Even though Tsubaki and Black*Star had difficulty recreating their unscripted argument, it typically turned out well during the rest of the performances.

Many people gained from the play, as well. Marie and Spirit each gained three hundred dollars. Black*Star and Tsubaki gained a new girlfriend and boyfriend, respectively.

And Crona learned how to play the lute.