A/N: Ahhh! Sorry for the long wait, guys. There really is no excuse for me this time. :( I am soo sorry. And to anyone who has reviewed, favorited, or followed. I love you. You are amazing. So again...sorry to keep you guys waiting. But, finally. Here it is. The chapter you've all been waiting for- Soul finally gets his change to ask Maka to the dance. Read to find out what happens. And, as always. Read and review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater. (But my people are working on it.)... That's sarcasm, just it case you could tell by my special sarcastic font.

Chapter 4: A Single Rose Is Cool... Right?

Soul's POV

This was it. I had finally figured out the coolest way to ask Maka to the dance. It was so cool, in fact, that there was no way she could possibly refuse.

Everything was set. I had my single red rose, and it was all going according to plan; that is until Kid decided to barge in- literally. He knocked me clean off my feet like some sort of crazed, wild animal, crushing my rose in the process. What a tool. He totally ruined my plan to ask Maka to the dance, and it was absolutely on purpose.

"Not cool, bro," was all I said. But in all actuality, what I wanted to say was 'WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, YOU ASYMMETRICAL FREAK!' But, of course, I didn't say that. It wouldn't be cool.

So instead, I picked myself up, brushed myself off, and told Maka that I'd be back later. I was not about to stick around to watch Kid ask my Meister to the dance. No way.

I threw kid a murderous glance. I knew exactly what he was up to; then, I walked off, trying to keep up my quickly slipping cool persona.

Sighing, I tossed the ruined rose into the trash; it was useless now anyways. Turning the corner, I shoved my hands in my pockets, contemplating a new way for Maka to reject the rich, brilliant, well-groomed Kid and pick me, her utterly cool Weapon partner to go to the dance... Who was I kidding? Next to Kid, I had virtually no chance.

At that moment, a pale, white hand shot out of nearby classroom and grabbed me by the collar, pulling me in. I struggled, but there was really no way for me to resist the immense force behind the hand as it continued to drag me into the dark room.

I turned around, ready to charge at my attacker, head on, when I found myself face-to-face with... Stein? He was the one who pulled me in here? What did the mad professor want this time?

I wracked my brain for anything I had done wrong recently, but I had had a fairly clean record this week. I had only been late to class once (I overslept) and turned in almost all of my homework assignments (but Tuesday was Black*Star and me's Wrestle Mania night, so I never do homework on Tuesdays anyways). I hadn't even gotten into any fights (well, maybe one, but really, Ox is so pathetic it can hardly be called a fight anyway, right?). So, if he didn't want me for remedial lessons, then...what?

"What are you doing over here?" The silver-haired professor hissed at me, turning that massive screw in his head. "You are supposed to be asking Maka to the dance!"

I started. Since when did Stein take an interest in my love-life?

"Well, I was just...and then Kid..." I stammered, still perplexed at the insanely weird turn of events. He sighed at me in exasperation.

"Honestly, Soul, are you blind?" Stein started to spin around wildly in the swivel chair he was currently occupying. "Your souls are incredibly compatible. Every time she sees you, her heart races, her pulse quickens, and her eyes seem to glaze over for just a moment. From a purely medical standpoint either she suffers from severe paranoia or she has a first-rate crush on you." I scratched my the back of my head, still not fully understanding.

"What, exactly, are you saying, Professor?"

Stein stopped his mad spinning suddenly, causing his glasses to slide down to the end of his nose. He seemed to gain his composure and used one hand to push them back up into their rightful place.

"What I'm saying, Soul, is that I've already placed my bet on the second option, and I am not about to be forced to chaperone this despicable dance. It interferes with my research time."

I shook my head in confusion. "Professor, I still-"

He spun me around, practically shoving me out the door. "So, get your sorry ass back out there and ask Maka to the dance already!"

I rubbed my forehead in frustration. I did not get this guy.

"Oh, and Soul! Wait, you'd better take this!"

I turned around just in time to see the professor toss something at me. I snatched it out of the air, pricking myself in the process. It was a rose, and a thorny one at that. Still, it beat the crumpled up one I had thrown in the trash earlier.

I nodded my appreciation to Stein. He just waved at me, cackling wildly. He pushed himself back in his swivel chair, accidently tripping over the doorway and crashing into the ground, his legs sticking straight up in the air. I shook my head, turning away quickly. What a nutcase he was. So uncool.

Walking rapidly, I wiped the blood off my hand onto the only surface I could think off- my shirt. I kept my head down, thinking about how to try to re-ask Maka to the dance. That is, if she hadn't already accepted Kid's offer. But, no, I couldn't afford to think like that.

Not paying attention, I walked straight into someone, knocking both of us to the ground.

"What the hell? Watch where-" I glanced up. "Oh, Maka. Sorry, didn't see you there."

"Yeah, I noticed."

I offered her a hand, helping her up. We both stood there in an awkward silence, our hands still intertwined. She let go of my hand suddenly, realizing she was still holding on to it.

"So...who's the rose for?" She asked.

"Huh?" was my intelligent reply. She glanced down pointedly at the rose still clutched firmly in my hand.

"Oh, yeah. That." Come on, Soul, THINK! Ask her now! But be cool. Smooth. I looked around wildly, desperately searching for some sort of inspiration. Making up my mind, I flashed her my signature smirk and carefully handed her the rose.

"I...uh...Maka. You? Me? The Dance?" I groaned inwardly. Not cool, Soul. Not. At. ALL.

But, surprisingly, her eyes lit up, a shy smile playing on her lips.

"Oh, Soul! I would love to...but..." Uh, oh. But.

"I already told Kid..." Here it comes. Total rejection. "...that I wasn't going to go to the dance with anyone." She gave me an apologetic smile.

Oh. Well, I guess thats not so bad. At least she wasn't going with the young Reaper-to-Be. In fact, maybe this was better. I could just be the two of us...all alone...together.

"I get it," I said, nodding. "Then, why don't we just hang out at our apartment and watch a movie or something? Just the two of us."

She smiled again, this time in relief, I think.

"Sure. I'd like that."

Well played. Soul. You are cool. Very cool indeed.

Stein's POV

"Come on, Marie! Just go to the dance with me! I'll even..." I gulped, cringing at the thought, "...I'll even wear a... a tux."

She perked up a little at the mention of the tux, but then shook her head no again, her golden locks tossing from side to side.

"No means no, Stein. I am going to win this bet, and there is no way on earth I will be chaperoning that god-awful dance."

I was desperate. I would not humiliate myself by going to the dance alone. I started grasping at straws. "I'll get you a puppy."

"Stein, I don't want a dog."

"A cat, then."

"Stein..." she started, saying my name as a warning, more than anything else.

I was exasperated. "MARIE. I will dissect a dog AND a cat and combine them into a single creature if that meant you would go to the dance with me!" Actually, that's not a bad idea...it would only take a few incisions. NO! Focus. You can experiment later.

She shook her head in disgust. "Stein, that is gross, but...sweet, I guess. If it really means that much to you, I'll go."

I cracked a smile. "Great."

"But I have a few conditions."

"Here we go."

She held up her hand, counting out her demands on her fingers.

"I want to be picked up in a limo."

"Done."

"You will wear a tux...and you are not allowed to ruin it by putting stitches on it like you always do."

I grumbled. "Fine." This list was getting a bit tedious.

"And you are not, absolutely not, allowed to perform any experiments for the entire night. Not on anyone, even yourself."

I started to bang my head against the wall on that last one.

I cried out, "Anything else you want, Marie? Should I cut my heart out and hand it to you a silver platter, maybe? I could do that, you know."

She smiled innocently, tilting her head to one side.

"Nope. That should be it. For now." She stepped closer to me, standing on her tiptoes to kiss the bridge of my nose.

I blinked, turning the screw in my head, trying to shut off the rush of emotions in side me that her kiss had brought. She giggled.

"I love you, Stein," she whispered.

I just laughed in reply. Love. What a fickle, human emotion.

...

...

...

...

"I love you, too, Marie."

A/N: So, this is it guys. The halfway point. (Yes, that means I'm doing 8 chapters for those of you who struggle with the math stuff.) And btw, the was Soul asked Maka to the dance? Inspired by the way I was asked to homecoming last year. Yeah. Really classy, I know. Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed! Read and review!

PS: For all of you who can't believe I would go the obvious route of SoMa...don't worry. I didn't. ;)