Okay there's a strong reference to something somewhere in this chapter. I will forever love the person who knows it and where it's from.
Chapter Eleven
"Another dissection? Really, Professor Stein?" Tsubaki questioned the teacher.
"There's also performing experiments involving what drugs will affect an animal's spirit energy," said professor offered, taking a drag of his cigarette.
"I don't think that's what she had in mind," Maka chimed in.
"Well if you can think of something more productive than science and experimentation, then by all means, go ahead and teach the class yourself," Stein countered.
"All we've done are dissections for the past two weeks!" Black Star added, voice raising.
I sat boredly in a chair next to Stein's desk, feet propped up and a rubik's cube in my hands. Damn thing. I could never solve more than one color.
"Aw come on, Franky. Let them have a free day why don't ya?" I suggested, all my attention on the rubik's cube.
"What a silly idea. That would be unproductive."
I shrugged, not glancing up at the students as I said, "Sorry, kiddos. I tried."
"Shall we begin the dissection?" Stein asked, though it wasn't much of a question.
They all groaned.
While my attention in the rubik's cube dulled, something at the back of my mind kept nagging me. I couldn't remember any of last night. When I woke up this morning on the bathroom floor, with a broken mirror and with a bloodied hand , I assumed I had just had another night terror. Damn things.
My knuckles were now wrapped up in bandages and they hurt like a bitch.
I must have fallen asleep in the chair because the next thing I knew, the bell had rung and it was time for lunch. All of the students eagerly jumped out of their seats and rushed to the door. Within thirty seconds, all of them were out, leaving Stein and I alone.
I rubbed my eyes, still waking up from my nap. The rubik's cube now sat on the corner of Stein's desk, completely solved.
"Damn it, Franky. Are you the one that solved that thing? I could have done it myself you know!" I childishly stuck my tongue out at him.
He didn't look up from some papers he was organizing when he said, "No. I believe it was Crona who did so. He saw you were having trouble with it so he solved it for you while you were asleep." I noted that Stein had called Crona a 'he.' So Crona was a boy...?
"Well that was nice of...him." I said, smiling and looking at the cube. I picked it up, noticing that it was actually one turn away from being solved. I blinked, turning it so that all the colors finally matched. "Why did he not finish it?" I wondered aloud.
"When he picked it up, I mentioned something about how you've never solved one. I suppose now you can say that you finally solved a rubik's cube." He put his cigarette in the ashtray he always kept on his desk.
My eyes widened. That was so sweet of Crona...
"Evy?" Stein asked me.
I turned my head towards him. "Franky?"
His lips twitched, almost giving in to a smile. "May I ask you something?"
"Of course," I smiled, curious on what he wanted to ask me of all people.
He glanced at the closed classroom door before speaking. "Well, about what almost happened...in the infirmary..." he looked away and I felt my cheeks go hot.
"Y-yeah?" I prompted.
"That doesn't...change anything, does it?" I couldn't read the emotion that his eyes shown.
"Why should it?" I answered with my own question.
"It shouldn't...but I can't stop thinking about it. About you..." He looked away again. He was once more the shy little boy from my childhood.
I stood from my chair, walking to where he sat in his usual rolling chair. He only looked somewhat surprised when I planted a light kiss on his lips. I moved my own lips to his ear, whispering, "You have no idea how much of a hold you have on me, Stein." Without any kind of warning, he stood, his hands cupping my face.
"Do you have the slightest idea of what you do to me, Evy? I see you and everything around us fades. You touch me and I can hardly make a move. You speak and I can't breathe. You torture me with you're very presence." He pressed his lips to mine, gently but insistant.
"You have no clue what you do to me, Stein. The mere thought of you sends thunder down my spine. But no matter what we say or do...there's only one way it would end for us." I paused, not wanting to say my next words. "Stein, I'm dangerous. I would only hurt you."
"No, Evelyn. It's I who would hurt you. I've done it in the past..." he looked down at the memory, still ashamed.
"Don't you dare try to pull that," I said, teeth grit. "You think you're going to hurt me again? You're wrong. Stein I can promise nothing to you, except for one thing."
He looked me in the eyes when he asked, "What's that promise?"
"My promise is I will hurt you. And I don't want that. That's why I took the blow from Ren. I didn't want you to get hurt."
Stein looked like he wanted to say something but stopped. After a minute, he spoke again. "Despite how it ends...I just want to enjoy the time I get with you."
My heart shattered at those words. "You idiot," I whispered, biting my lip. "You idiot!" He only kissed me and I gladly responded by returning the kiss.
For a while, we just made out. In the classroom. While the kids were at lunch. Life just works that way I guess.
About ten minutes before lunch hour was over, we finally pulled apart. "The kids will start coming back any second now," I reminded him, breathless.
"I know."
We pulled completely apart now and I hopped off of my seat on top of Stein's desk.
As predicted, the students started coming back from lunch, taking their seats one by one.
I don't think the rest of the day could have gone by any slower. When classes were finally completely over, the students took their time with leaving which I found to be incredibly annoying.
After the last one left, Stein and I were out the door. I wasn't sure where we were going exactly, but it ended up being my apartment. I struggled to open the door but after three tries I turned the key and we were inside, slamming the door shut.
*If you wish for some details of what happens right after this, please reread the prologue*