A/N: I want to apologize to Kittywizarrr for not getting this up a long, loooong time ago, but I really couldn't come up with a story idea for it... So here it is, many months later. I just started writing and I'm satisfied with the results. Hope you like it.^^

20: Stammering Pomegranate and Peaches

A Matter of Discussing Marriage Plans

"If you wanted to marry someone, how would you go about doing it?"

Marie Mjolnir looked up, eyes narrowing suspiciously at her friend. Spirit bowed his head, face turning a few shades lighter than his hair as he studiously looked over the open textbook between them.

The two of them were in Spirit's apartment, working on homework after a long day in the Academy. Marie had been leaving for the day when Spirit caught her by the lockers, saying in an almost too cheerful voice, "Marie! How's it going? It's been awhile, huh?"

Marie wasn't going to correct the boy and say she'd just seen him at lunch, a time they both saw each other, as well as everyone else, every single day. Instead, she'd nodded and said, "Hi? Did you want something?"

"We should hang out after school. Come over to my apartment, and we'll do homework together. Help each other out, you know?"

Again, Marie wasn't going to mention Spirit was a grade or two above her and therefor was farther in his studies, so she couldn't exactly help him, but she'd supposed she could try. So with a sigh, she'd agreed and they'd both walked to Spirit's apartment.

"It was just a random question," the red haired teen now murmured under his breath before flipping his notebook around and tapping at a problem with the end of his pencil. "That answer look alright?"

Marie barely gave it a glance, still staring at the other teen with narrowed eyes. "Sure," she answered halfheartedly, folding her arms and leaning over her own homework to stare at Spirit unnervingly. "Why do you want to know?"

"Well, it's school, and I'm not one hundred percent intent on failing, so-"

"No, why do you want to know about the whole marriage thing?" Marie sputtered. "Why did you really want me over here? It wasn't to help with homework, was it?"

Spirit coughed, looking away and blinking a few times too many. "What? What are you talking about? Can't two friends get together and do homework and maybe talk about marriage? Quit being ridiculous, Marie! Why don't you ask me questions about marriage, hmm? Why aren't you talking about it? If anything, you're the one being suspicious! Now for the last time, is this marriage correct?"

"Marriage?" Marie inquired dubiously.

"P-P-Problem! Is this problem correct?" Spirit stammered, slapping a hand against his notebook. "Problem, equation,

Soul Studies statement, whatever you want to call it! Did I do it right?"

"Spirit, that's a paragraph from Wavelengths of the Soul you're supposed to summarize and find all the key points in," Marie deadpanned, glowering at the long passage. "What's going on with you? You're acting strange... Well, stranger than usual."

Spirit bowed his head, resting it against his homework and releasing a long sigh through his nose. "Nothing gets past you, Marie. Nothing."

"Well, no, not when it's as clear as a neon sign," Marie replied warily. "Seriously, what's going on?"

Raising his head, the red haired weapon gazed at Marie, searching her face as if trying to deem the younger teen trustworthy before sighing, "I was... going to ask..." He closed his mouth, rolling his eyes to the ceiling as he thought over his next words. "Someone," he began again after a few minutes, "to maybe... you know...?"

"Marry you?" Marie guessed in a low voice, raising an eyebrow suspiciously before the words passed through her head and she squeaked, "Marry you?!"

"Shhh!" Spirit hissed, covering her mouth hastily. "Not so loud, Pulverizer, please!"

Marie cried something against Spirit's palm and after she calmed down, he slowly drew it away. "I thought you were acting a little weird these last few days," Marie murmured, rubbing her mouth gently. "I should've known you were going to ask for Kami's hand. She'll be thrilled."

"Kami?" Spirit exclaimed, looking everywhere but Marie's eyes, trying to keep his voice nonchalant. "Wh-Who said anything about Kami. I mean, it's not obvious, right? It's not obviously Kami, right?"

Marie crossed her arms and leaned back, smirking wickedly. "Oh, okay. Is it Stein?"

Spirit gasped sharply before doubling over and coughing, holding his hands to his throat as though he were choking.

The blond haired weapon grinned and shrugged. "Well, after all, you seem intent on saying it's obviously not Kami, so how should I know who the lucky person is? I mean, why not Stein? He's dissected you before. He knows things about you. Who's to say what went on in his laboratory some of those night-?"

"It's Kami! It's Kami!" Spirit cried, pounding his fists on the table. "I swear to Lord Death, Marie, just please, please stop talking!"

Marie smiled knowingly. "Just as I thought. Congratulations, Spirit. I'm happy for you. When are you going to ask?"

Spirit narrowed his eyes at his younger friend, muttering, "See, that's where this whole conversation began and see how long it took to get here?"

"Well, if you'd begun with 'I'm going to ask Kami to marry me,' we'd be a whole lot farther along in this conversation!" Marie argued.

"I couldn't just pop that into this little study period. It'd be weird," Spirit protested. "One of your friends suddenly begins spouting wedding plans to you about how he'd like a small little ceremony, nothing too fancy, and desperately wants to see one of your best friends floating down the aisle in a white lace gown with a veil and train flowing behind her like the wings of an angel? No, too weird!"

Marie blinked at the older teen. "Yeah, when you put it that way..."

Spirit exhaled, leaning back and resting his palms against the floor. "Seriously, Marie, what do you think?" he inquired in a surprisingly serious voice.

The blond haired weapon smiled warmly at her friend. "I think you'll go for it," she said. "And I think Kami'll say yes, because look at you. I don't know what either of you will do if she says no."

Spirit snorted, grinning back at Marie. "Skirt around each other in the hallways with embarrassed glances here and there, and the entire group will be split up. Kami will get you, Tora, Azusa, and Naigus, while Stein, Justin, Sid, Buttataki, and Tez go with me."

"Why do you get all the guys?" Marie demanded skeptically. "What if a few go with Kami?"

"Maybe some will, but who?"

The younger teen ran a hand through her long hair, pondering the question. "I don't know... Justin?"

"I don't think his mind is always in our conversations..." Spirit replied slowly, thinking about the youngest of their group and his usual vacant expression. "But you never know. Now, can we get back on track? I was wondering if I should do the whole extravagant declaration of love or the simple down-on-one-knee?"

Marie thought about it before answering certainly, "Down on one knee. She's very down to earth, don't you think? She'll appreciate the simplicity of it."

"True, true," Spirit said, nodding gravely. "So where to ask her...?"

"Here?" Marie offered, motioning to the apartment around them that was, unfortunately, not the kind of atmosphere one would propose in. There were books and papers everywhere, some even holding up stacks of dishes, and the whole place could have used a thorough dusting... and mopping.

Spirit shook his head. "She'll get suspicious. I need it to be natural."

The golden eyed woman smiled, shaking her head slowly. "Spirit stressing out about proposing to someone. Who would've thought?"

"I know," the scythe muttered, releasing a sigh. "I'm freaking out, and I'm freaking out because I'm freaking out."

"Ah, it just shows you care enough to freak out."

"Am I freaking you out?" Spirit inquired curiously.

"Abso-freaking-lutely," Marie teased, sticking her tongue out at the older student. "No, I'm kidding. You'll be just fine, Spirit. Don't worry."

"Hey, Marie?"

"Yep?"

"Thank you... for talking with me and giving me encouragement."

Marie smiled across the small table at her friend. "You two are my best friends and one of the cutest couples I'll probably ever meet. The only thing I can give you two is my encouragement and absolute happiness."

Spirit bobbed his head, smiling gratefully. "Thanks. And Marie?"

"Yes, Spirit?"

The red haired weapon quickly turned his notebook again, tapping the same problem that had been getting addressed the whole afternoon. "Seriously, is this the right answer?"

Marie smiled warmly. "Nu-uh."

With a groan of frustration, Spirit's head hit the table and Marie laughed.

-/-\-|-/-\-

A/N: I wrote most of this on my front porch with a warm sun in the clear sky and a cool breeze on my face. That's not bad, considering only a few days ago I was sitting inside, freezing my butt off while a snowstorm raged outside. Take that, winter. :P

AutumnMobile12 gets credit for the 'extravagant declaration of love or down on one knee' conundrum.

Thorhild (Tora) Járngreipr is an OC of mine created to be Marie's meister. She is mentioned in the eighth one-shot of this series: Strong Liquor with Honey. She was originally supposed to be in a different Soul Eater fic, however, one busted computer later, her character remained, but the story did not. *sigh* I believe I got her first name from a list of old Norse names, Thorhild meaning 'Thor's Battle'. Járngreipr is the name of Thor's gloves.