HAY! Another chapter! Ok so as an answer to A Rozen Dream's question as to why they call her 'Roo' it is because her name is pronounced A-Roo-Sa. Arusa. so yeah the u makes an oo sound... Anyhoo on with the story!

Disclaimer: #$%&^#%! I don't own SE *scowls* only Arusa. shes mine no touchy touchy *hiss*

Recovering – Feather Light, Painful and Irritating?

"What are we Stein?" He stared at her. Arusa's heart started beating faster as the silence continued. She began running through all the possible things he could say in her mind. None so far she liked… When they'd fought all those years ago it had completely shattered her soul. She had been in love with him, and it wasn't just because he was the only one that had taken an interest in her or been kind to her in almost her entire life, she'd gone over that theory a hundred times. She had loved him because he was so much like her, he understood the madness and how it felt to be shunned for it. He knew what it was like to have darkness inside of you. It took ten years to piece it back together and she suddenly regretted starting this conversation. She didn't know if she'd be able to keep the cracks that were finally healed from reopening and becoming unfixable; she wouldn't be able to fix it…

"YOU'RE SUCH A JERK!" Arusa shouted at Stein. He took a step back glaring at her.

"Don't be such an infant Roo, I only said that to get Spirit off my back, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings." He said it like he was talking to a three year old. She glared daggers at him.

"'IF'? WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'IF'? Of course you hurt my feelings, you said right to his face that you and I didn't ever have a chance like that!" He sighed. "DON'T SIGH AT ME LIKE I'M AN OVERREACTING CHILD!"

"Well you…"

"UGH!" She folded her arms trying not to cry in front of him.

"Arusa I didn't…"

"NO! Why do you insist on playing with me Stein? You are cold and distant, you wont ever let me help you but you insist on helping me. And you are always looking at me with pity in your eyes. I hate that! Why do you do that? It drives me insane, it's like you don't think I am strong enough…"

"That's not…"

"Don't make stupid excuses like 'that's not what I mean' and then explain it in some scientific way that I wont understand. Do you think I'm stupid? No I see the way you look at me sometimes, I know you suffer from the darkness just as I do, but you really scare me when you look at me like I'm some kind of an experiment."

"Arusa you are over reacting, I don't think you're stupid and I look at you with pity because you need it, you need someone who feels for you. I am trying but you know I am no good with that sort of thing." Arusa clenched her fists.

"Am I just an experiment to you Stein?" He leaned back against the wall.

"In some ways yes…" Her eyes widened and she turned to face him.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? I can't believe this, why do you insist on messing with my head? You know how much that experiment stuff scares me. I can't stand it! I don't like feeling like a plaything Stein, those scientists used me as their voodoo doll for five years!"

"I know."

"THEN WHY THE HELL ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?" Tears ran down her face and she glared at him, pain contorting her smooth features.

"Don't shout, it's annoying," he looked at her. "I haven't done anything to you."

"Right, except play with my emotions, this was some kind of sick experiment from the start wasn't it? Oh lets see how long and how much it'll take before the psycho girl snaps! Well I'm snapping!"

"You are so stubborn and prideful, why do you have to be so fearful and hatful of everything around you? You think about things to much, your paranoia is annoying an frustrating." He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Am I frustrating? Do I embarrass you Franken? Well I'm so sorry about that! You wont have to deal with me anymore because I'm leaving!" she shouted. "I'M SICK OF THIS CITY! I'M SICK OF LORD DEATH! AND I'M SICK OF YOU!" She grabbed the doorknob and flung it wide; leaving it open she marched down the hallway.

It was all my fault, She thought. I never let him explain I just got angry and it was all my fault… just like it always was… Arusa waited, fear growing inside her. He hadn't moved, his glasses were reflecting the light at a strange angle so that she couldn't see his eyes. She couldn't read his face. Arusa swallowed, he couldn't hate her could he? What was she thinking? Of course he hated her, he was probably just thinking of some way he could tell her without completely being an ass. This was being drawn out way to long, what ever he wanted to say, he should say it. She could handle it… maybe. Arusa groaned inwardly, she was going to kill herself when this was all over. Lupis was hurt and every one of her friends hated her. She was trying to decide what the worst outcome could possibly be when Stein moved. He untangled his fingers from hers and stood up. Moving closer to the side of the bed he bent down brushing her bangs out of her face. She frowned, what was he doing? He put his hands on either side of her face and pulled her up slightly and leaning down gently kissed the corner of her mouth. Arusa's eyes widened, whoa, she'd defiantly not been expecting that.

"Uh…" was all that came out when she tried to speak. He smiled.

"I don't hate you Roo, I never did."

"B-but what about…" he placed a finger over her mouth.

"I'm not angry Arusa, I don't hate you."

"Really? I mean I said all those awful things and just left you, I can't imagine why you don't hate me." He gave her a serious look.

"You know why." She reached out touching the scar that marred his face.

"But why? I told you that I hated you and I accused you of things I'm sure you didn't even do. I wouldn't let you explain anything to me. I really was acting like a child."

"Yes you were." She winced inwardly.

"I-I'm sorry Stein, I really am, I hated myself for saying those things. But I was just being stupid. I don't even know what to say…" She looked up at him before whispering. "So what are we Stein?" A small smile blessed his mouth.

"We are what ever you want us to be." She smiled. she raised her hands resting them on his.

"What do you want?" He wrapped his hands around hers, gently bringing her fingers to his lips.

"You know what I want." She blushed. Arusa tried to sit up but winced and couldn't. Reaching up se gripped the collar of his lab coat, pulling him towards her. Dropping her hands he placed his on either side of her slender body. Arusa hesitated; he was millimetres away from her face. He smirked at her uncertainty. Leaning forward he closed the space between them. His kissed her lightly at first, but after a moment it was more rough. He slid his arms around her pulling her up against his chest. Arusa wrapped her arms around his neck. A pain shot through her and she pulled back wincing. He pushed her back down, his arms still around her.

"Sorry." He whispered. She blushed.

"That's ok." He smiled bending down and lightly kissing the scar that lined the side of her neck. Arusa closed her eyes; she could feel the tension in his soul.

"Been a long time hasn't it?" She smiled. He kissed her again.

"Oh far too long." He whispered. Suddenly he pulled back and removed her arms from around his neck. She frowned as he stood up. Reaching down he pulled the blanket off her and started to lift the infirmary shirt that had been put on her after she'd been stitched up.

"Whoa!" She grabbed his hands. "K-kinda overstepping your boundaries there Franken." He raised an eyebrow.

"I need to check your stitches," he grinned. "What did you think I was doing?" She blushed. His hands were warm on her pale skin. He lifted her shirt just enough to see all the stitches that were across her stomach. He inspected the threads to make sure none had come loose. Arusa stared at her stomach, it had hurt sure but she'd almost forgotten what it looked like. The skin was red and irritated around the stitches; a little bit of blood had trickled down her stomach. Memories of the scientists who had experimented on her came rushing into her head. She clenched her fists. Stein noticed her tortured expression.

"If it's bothering you then don't look." Arusa couldn't stop staring; a pained look seeped into her eyes. Stein sighed and lifted her chin so that she was looking at him. "You know I would never do that to you." She looked unsure for a moment but nodded.

"I know." He walked over to one of the cabinets and pulled out a bottle of antiseptic. He picked up a cloth off of the counter and came back over to the bed. Pouring some of the antiseptic onto the cloth he gently slid it over the irritated skin. Arusa winced, the alcohol stung painfully.

"You're a real mood killer, you know that?" he laughed. She laid back trying to ignore the fact that her skin was burning. "Hey Stein?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did you come after me in Transylvania? Why did you agree to go? I mean Spirit could have gone, so why did you?"

"Lord Death asked me to."

"I know but you could have refused, what made him think we wouldn't try and kill each other?" Stein laughed.

"Lord Death knows a lot more about things than anyone gives him credit for. He knew we wouldn't kill each other because he knew we didn't hate each other." Arusa frowned.

"I…" He placed a finger over her mouth.

"No, we don't need to talk about it anymore." She nodded. Smiling he bent down placing a feather light kiss on her stomach. Arusa gasped tensing slightly. He rested the cloth over her stitches and moved up so that he was looking her in the eyes. He reached up gently twirling a strand of her midnight hair around his blushed. Stein leaned forward almost touching her when the door was flung open.

"ROO ROO!" Spirit came crashing into the room like an elephant. "OH MY GOD! I WAS SO… uhh…" He stared at them. Stein straightened up and Arusa blushed a deeper shade. A mischievous smile crept onto his face. "Oh I get it now." Stein raised an eyebrow.

"Get what?"

"Nothin, no, no don't let me interrupt." Arusa glared at him.

"Spirit…"

"Come on, there must be a lot of tension built up since the last time you two were together." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"You creep!" Spirit laughed.

"Oh come on give her a kiss Stein." He puckered his lips still laughing. Arusa blushed beat red.

"Hmm… I wonder what would happen if I sewed your lips together." Stein tilted his neck turning the screw in his head. Spirit froze. "Or perhaps I'll just remove them, yes that would be an interesting experiment." The death-scythe backed up holding out his hands in protest.

"N-now l-let's not get h-hasty Stein." Stein gave him a disturbing grin. Lifting a hand he made a scissors motion with his fingers. Spirit scuttled back towards the door. "F-fine but don't think I'll let this go!" He then made a beeline down the hallway.

"Wow, I'd forgotten how scary you can be when you want to." Stein chuckled.

"Yes but I don't need to try very hard with Spirit."

"Yeah," Arusa frowned. "You know he is never going to let me live this down now right?"

"Not just you."

"He is way to afraid of you to tease you." Stein laughed.

"I suppose you're right, sorry about that." Arusa shrugged.

"That's alright." She smiled at him.

"You have the most beautiful smile." She blushed.

"No I don't think…" She was interrupted by his hand on her head.

"You need to let other people like things about you Roo, that was always something you struggled with."

"I know," she sighed.

"You are perfect to me Roo, and to Spirit too, he just has a different way of showing it." He ruffled her hair. "I suppose you should rest up."

"I'm fine I don't…"

"Yes you do, you can't let your students see you collapse because you were to stubborn to let your wounds heal." She pouted.

"Fine."

"Don't be such a baby." He bent down kissing her on the forehead then he straightened and walked towards the door.

"Stein."

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

"Anytime Roo."