"I need the meisters here and the weapons to go over with Azusa-sensei, now."
Stein's voice rang out through the classroom, and the students flocked down to the front. Azusa couldn't help but notice a pair of green eyes flicking towards her every so often from the meister bunch, and she sighed.
It was so nice of her best friend to fall ill with a stomach bug.
Sprit and Azusa had managed to keep relatively hidden from the students for a good three months, because Maka was in no mood for gossiping. But, eventually, Tsubaki got the problem out of her, and Black*Star overheard. Black*Star told Patti, Patti told Liz, and the rumours exploded.
She was taking the place of Marie-sensei alongside Stein for the week. The fact that the kids were calling her sensei was her only worry until she heard the whispers in the group.
"Isn't that to one who's with Maka's dad?"
"Yeah! Who in their right mind would trust him?"
"I don't know. He is Shinigami-sama's main Deathscythe – maybe power does something for her."
Azusa tried desperately not to let on that she had heard the comments, and clapped her hands together.
"Right! Weapons, I am Azusa-sensei. I'm a Deathscythe and I will be taking you for lessons this week in place of Marie-sensei." Azusa said, sharply. A mix of groans and sighs rang out, and Azusa crossed her arms.
"I'm not going to take any nonsense, I'll tell you now." Azusa warned the weapons.
"Aw, c'mon! Marie-sensei lets us do whatever we want!" a voice called from the group.
"Well, with all due respect to Marie-sensei, I'm your teacher this week." Azusa replied. The boy in the group recoiled before murmuring to his friends.
"Boring." he laughed, and his friend high-fived him. Azusa adjusted her glasses.
"Right. Let's follow Stein-hakase and the meisters." she stormed ahead, leaving the weapons to trail as she caught up with Stein.
"Are they bothering you?" Stein asked.
"Why do you care?" Azusa asked, eyebrows raised.
"Marie asked me to keep an eye on you." Stein replied, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Well, if you must know, just about want to strangle half of them." Azusa admitted through her clenched jaw. Stein couldn't help but smirk and nod.
"Give it another hour – you'll want to make them fight to the death." Stein replied. Azusa sighed and pushed her glasses up over the bridge of her nose.
"Are all children this annoying?" Azusa asked. Stein glanced over and shrugged.
"So far, in my experience? Yes." Stein nodded. Azusa rolled her eyes and dropped back to join the weapons, and as she returned, about half the group giggled. The shadow weapon near the front of the group looked dreadfully embarrassed and ashamed, and Azusa raised an eyebrow.
"Tsubaki, isn't it?" Azusa asked. The girl's eyes flicked to Azusa's and she nodded.
"Is there something wrong?" Azusa asked. Tsubaki's eyes widened.
"I… I need to talk to Professor Stein," Tsubaki began to walk faster before looking backwards, "and please, Azusa-sensei, don't pay any attention to them." them walked off faster, ponytail flicking behind her. Azusa shook her head and continued walking.
"So. How many of you know how to spar in your own right?" Azusa asked. Very few of the weapons in the group put their hands up. Azusa sighed.
"You need to be able to fight on your own! You can't always rely on a meister." Azusa stated, sharply. The same boy who had engaged Azusa before stuck his hand up.
"Come on then, Deathscythe! Teach me!" he exclaimed. Azusa crossed her arms.
"Fine. Come here." Azusa watched as the boy walked to the front, and he smirked.
"So, you think you know how to spar?" Azusa asked.
"Of course." the boy laughed. Azusa took a defensive stance and stared the boy down.
"Go on." she said. The boy looked back at his friends and smirked. He lurched forward and threw a punch, which Azusa caught. Within a second, she had his arm twisted around his back, shoving him to the ground. He cried out in pain, causing the group of weapons to laugh.
Azusa broke the hold and the boy scuttled away, looking furiously at his interim teacher.
"What is wrong with you?! Take that aggression out when you're doing Albarn, not fighting me!" the boy cried, and Azusa stiffened. The group were laughing, and for the first time in a long time, Azusa was not sure what to say. Her eyes were wide, and as her jaw failed her, the boy smirked and stood up.
He turned around and was met, face-to-chest, with Stein.
Stein reached out and grabbed the boy by the collar, and he yelped.
"I hope everything's quite okay over here." Stein growled. The boy's eyes widened.
"O-Of course, D-Doctor St-Stein." the boy stammered.
"Good. I'm glad you realise that, just like Marie-sensei, Azusa-sensei is an esteemed Deathscythe who's got more power in her little finger than you do in your entire body." Stein spoke through gritted teeth, and as he nodded, Stein dropped him onto the ground.
"What she does in her own time has nothing to do with you," Stein snapped, "and I'm certain you're only saying these idiotic things because there's not a woman in this world who'd want to touch you with a ten-foot pole."
The boy swallowed dryly and Stein pulled out a cigarette, perching it between his lips.
"So, we're going to cooperate with Azusa-sensei, are we clear?" Stein looked out at all the weapons, who nodded in near unison.
"Good. Now, get back to your lesson. Sorry to interrupt, Azusa-sensei." Stein glanced up at Azusa, and she nodded.
"Apology accepted, Stein-hakase." she replied, ensuring she used the honorifics while still in front of the class. Stein walked off, lighting his cigarette, and Azusa turned back to the class, a bullet dodged for now.
"There was no need for that, earlier." Azusa kept her hands on the steering wheel as she drove herself and Stein to the laboratory. She was going to visit the ill Marie and drop Stein home.
"Yes, because your stand there and say nothing approach worked well. I thought you were a tactician?" Stein asked.
"I'll run you into a lamp-post, I swear." she muttered, and Stein shook his head, glancing out the window. It seemed that the afternoon sun was glaring down at him, so his eyes flicked back to Azusa.
"You'll get used to them. They say stupid things because they're children." Stein told her. Azusa raised an eyebrow.
"Well, look at you. Franken Stein, down with the kids." Azusa couldn't help but smirk, and Stein sighed.
"Fine, I just won't help you. It's not like I've been teaching these kids for two years or anything. Oh, wait, yes I have." Stein crossed his arms.
"No need to get defiant with me, Stein." Azusa remarked.
"I'm older than you – how can you still manage condescension?" Stein asked.
"Well, I-"
"And I'm a doctor! How do you do that?" Stein asked. Azusa smirked and shrugged.
"Natural talent, I suppose." Azusa commented. Stein sighed and sat back in his seat, fidgeting more than usual for him.
"What's wrong?" Azusa asked. Stein gave an exasperated sigh.
"Marie wanted me to ask you how you and Spirit were but I reallydon't want to." Stein admitted. Azusa glanced at him for a second before focusing back on the road.
"We're fine. There, you can report back and not get killed." Azusa said. Stein sighed and smirked.
"Good." he replied.
Azusa sat on her couch, alone, watching some inane television program, when she felt her phone buzz in her pocket.
From: Spirit Albarn
How was your day?
Azusa sighed and typed a quick message back.
To: Spirit Albarn
Awful. Children are hurtful and stupid. And if they're not stupid, they either won't speak to me or are incredibly annoyed at me and their fathers.
Azusa sent the self-pitying text message, and relaxed back into the couch. She didn't get a reply, and she figured that she'd leave it. After a while, it was getting late, so Azusa turned the television off and was walking to her bedroom when she heard a knock on the door. She sighed and walked over, opening the apartment door.
"Care to have one more member in your pity party?" Spirit asked, a smile splaying about his face. Azusa sighed and would usually complain about Spirit being out so late, but after the day she'd had, she simply smiled.
"Always." she stood back and let Spirit walk in the door.
"So, you had a terrible day, did you?" Spirit asked.
"To put it lightly. But, Marie seems to be getting better." Azusa remarked. Spirit scratched his chin.
"Really? I went to visit her today and I got to hold her hair back while she puked." Spirit recoiled at the memory.
"You don't get to complain until you've gotten completely drunk with her. It's one thing to hold her hair back in a bathroom, another to hold it back in a tiny toilet cubicle." Azusa appointed out. Spirit smirked and sat back, crossing his arms.
"Fine. You win this round." Spirit said, and Azusa rested her head on her hand, which was propped up on the table.
"But, the kids… And I have to do it all over again tomorrow." Azusa sighed. Spirit pulled his chair closer and cupped Azusa's cheek with his hand.
"Well," he smirked, "how about I give you some incentive?" Azusa's eyes widened and an electric current ran up her spine.
"What did you have in mind?" she raised an eyebrow behind her glasses, and Spirit swallowed.
"How about, for every day you get through teaching those kids, I give you, say, a reward?" Spirit asked. Azusa gave a tiny smirk and glanced down.
"What sort of reward? You're being vague, Albarn." she said, and Spirit stood up, taking her hand and making her stand up with him.
"Really? I was going for more blatantly sexual. Not working?" Spirit raised his eyebrows and Azusa smirked.
"Okay… you have a deal." Azusa shook Spirit's hand and, without warning, he swept her up into his arms, leaving her no choice but to wrap her arms around his neck.
"Spirit! What are you doing!" Azusa half-shrieked, half-giggled despite herself.
"Well, you got through today," he remarked, "so you get a reward." Spirit took Azusa to the bedroom and slammed the door behind them.
And, for some reason unknown to the students, Azusa-sensei was a lot more enthusiastic and laid-back for the entire week.
A/N: Hehehe. And Stein/Azusa friendship makes me happy. As does Spirit/Azusa, ahem, reward time.
Hehehe.