A/N: This was prompted by the word "Dilute" from Yuu-chan. Features Stein and Marie.
"Franken, now!" Marie's voice screamed out of her weapon form and Stein nodded, darting forward, the water falling down around him as black tendrils wrapped around his wrist and a familiar jolt of electricity coursed through his system. In front of them stood a witch, manic laughter escaping not from her, but from the hat on top of her head.
He swung Marie with all of his might, colliding with the witch and knocking her backwards a few feet. The hat just continued to laugh as the witch looked at them with a blank expression, her lips creeping back in a feral snarl to reveal sharp teeth. She lunged forward almost immediately, the laughter from the hat beginning to grate on Stein's nerves.
He sidestepped her easily, Izuna singing through his body. "Franken, be careful." Marie's voice warned him and he didn't bother acknowledging. They both knew that he would do whatever it took to stop the witch in front of them, even if that meant sacrificing his own body.
It wouldn't be the first time he'd been forced to take a leave of absence after utilizing Izuna.
Marie smashed into the witch's side and he took a step, swinging again. He didn't see the blade until it was too late- he swung Marie against it and watched as a thin line appeared on the hammer.
He didn't register the scream that erupted from the weapon as Marie's voice. He simply couldn't believe that such a ragged, pained sound came from her. That he had allowed her to be injured.
The resonance between them shattered. The weapon flew from his grasp as they were blown apart, and Marie landed between him and the witch, her body streaming blood into the water where it was slowly diluted. Stein darted towards her, watching in horror as the witch just grinned while her hat cackled.
With a deliberate motion the witch cast a spell, and Stein hit his knees, a scream ripping from his throat as Marie's unconscious body was torn to shreds.
Arms wrapped around him, and a familiar voice was murmuring in his ear. It took him a moment to realize that somewhere along the line he had clenched his eyes shut to avoid the image of Marie's body ripping to pieces.
And then he realized that it was Marie's voice. It was her wavelength in front of him, her arms wrapped around him, holding him tight. His body was covered in sweat and shaking uncontrollably.
He was in the lab, in the room they shared, in bed beside her. She was live and whole, completely uninjured beside him.
"Franken, are you alright? You were screaming…" Marie's voice was concerned even though it was thick with sleep.
He just wrapped his trembling arms around her and held her close to him. She could feel his heart thudding against his chest, and she just gently smoothed his hair, letting him cling to her.