A/N: Sorry for the delay – I had exams, but now I'm finished school. However, that means I don't get as constant access to internet as I used to. So, updates probably won't be as frequent, and I'll probably update a few things at once. But, it should give me time to write more one-shots.

"So glad I'm not teaching anymore."

"Yumi, are my students really that bad?" Marie asked, and Azusa nodded.

"Yes, Marie. Yes, they are." Azusa stated, matter-of-factly.

"You can't dislike children, Yumi." Marie said, and Azusa stood up to wash out her coffee cup.

"Fairly sure I can," Azusa set her cup down on the dish rack, "and fairly sure I will." Marie sighed and shrugged, sitting back further on the couch. Her eyes flicked to Naigus, who was next to her.

"What about you, Mira? Kids?" Marie asked.

"I don't mind kids. But I wouldn't want to raise any more. When your meister goes Surprise, here's a tiny Star clan baby, it kind of jolts you." Naigus said. Marie shrugged and looked into her coffee.

"Fair enough. Franken doesn't really want kids." Marie said, forlornly.

"Well, there are some shocking revelations." Azusa said, dryly.

"Couldn't have guessed that in a million years." Naigus smirked, and Marie threw a pillow at her.

"Don't, you guys!" she said, and the three women laughed. Their laughter ceased quickly as a silver-haired meister walked into the room. He raised an eyebrow at the three women.

"You three are never silent when you're in the same room… have I walked in on something?"

"Marie's pregnant."

Stein's eyes widened and Marie's mouth was wide open. Naigus was trying to hold back laughter, but Azusa remained stony-faced.

"Wh – Huh – Sh - Marie?"

"I'm not pregnant!" Marie picked up the pillow she'd thrown at Naigus earlier and it went sailing towards Azusa, but she ducked and it hit the wall.

"Marie, violence isn't necessary!" Azusa smirked, and Marie growled before her eyes flicked back to Stein.

"I'm not pregnant. I'm not, and I'm also not sure why I'm friends with her." Marie crossed her arms furiously and Stein still looked completely shell-shocked.

"Calm down," Azusa walked towards Stein, "Marie was just saying that you didn't really want kids."

"You don't want kids, Stein? That's too bad." A hand clamped down on Stein's shoulder and he was so confused he felt as if he was going to pass out.

"N-No? What?" Stein turned around to see Spirit walk past him towards Azusa, and he snaked his arms around her waist and kissed her on the cheek.

"Spirit." Azusa said, through gritted teeth. Naigus sighed and clicked her tongue.

"Come on, Yumi, you and Spirit are past the afraid of public displays of affection stage. Stein just confirmed that he and Marie have had sex." Naigus stated.

"Which we all totally knew anyway." Spirit added. Stein was still standing, bewildered, and Marie's face turned red.

"So, a kiss on the cheek is hardly harmful." Naigus concluded. Azusa sighed.

"Mmhm." she walked over to the sink again, and Spirit followed.

"Are you okay?" Spirit asked.

"Not particularly." Azusa shook her head. Spirit swivelled around her to lean on the cabinet on Azusa's other side.

"Look, I'm sorry, I –"

"It's not that, Spirit." she murmured. Spirit leant down to look at Azusa.

"So what is it?" he asked, impatiently. Azusa took a deep breath in and glanced up at Spirit.

"Shinigami-sama wants to see us." she told him. Spirit raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms.

"And that's troubling you because…?" he began. Azusa glared up at Spirit, who looked no less bewildered.

"He's not asked to see us since we started…" she glanced down and Spirit raised an eyebrow.

"Look. Shinigami-sama only found out that we were dating the other day. He was seeing Kid and Liz and Patti were talking at a great volume about it." Azusa furrowed her brows, but Spirit still looked distant.

"We work together. It's got to be some sort of breach, Spirit. Insubordination, something like that." she murmured. Spirit raised an eyebrow.

"But Marie's with Stein-"

"And he's not a Deathscythe. Spirit, I'm worried." she said. Spirit took a deep breath in and grasped Azusa's shoulders gently.

"It's okay. Look, we'll go down and see what he wants. I'm sure it'll be okay. Anyway, you're worth losing my job over." Spirit smirked, and Azusa glanced up at him, giving an uneasy look that meant she was withholding a blush. She took a deep breath and prepared herself.

"Come on. Let's get this over and done with." Azusa said.

Shinigami-sama was facing the mirror when Spirit and Azusa entered. Azusa stood up completely straight, and Spirit smirked. His hand left his pocket and tapped Azusa lightly on the backside, causing her to jump and exclaim.

"Spirit!"

Azusa's hands clapped over her mouth and Shinigami-sama bounded around to face the two Deathscythes. Spirit still had a smirk plastered across his face, but Azusa was mortified.

"Ah, Spirit, Azusa… I'm glad you're here."

Azusa's heart leapt into her throat and Shinigami-sama noticed immediately.

"Azusa…. are you okay? Is there something you need to tell me?" he asked. Azusa's eyes widened and she shook her head.

"No, sir, I'm fine, sir, thank you, sir." she said, her words falling out of her mouth uncontrollably. Spirit raised an eyebrow and turned to Shinigami-sama.

"What did you want to see us about, Shinigami-sama?" Spirit asked. Shinigami-sama looked at the redhead and then over at Azusa, and he clapped his hands together.

"Well," he began, and Azusa's breaths became shorter, "I've heard some… rumours… about the two of you. I wanted to ask you if they were true. I think you know what I'm talking about."

Spirit glanced at Azusa, and Azusa was far closer to tears than she would ever like to admit. She took a deep breath and looked up at Shinigami-sama.

"… Yes, sir." she said, shakily, ready for the reprimanding of a lifetime. There was silence, and Azusa braced herself, clenching her fists and drawing and holding her breath.

"… Congratulations!"

Azusa blinked. Spirit smirked.

"I'm sorry?" Azusa asked.

"I'm happy for the two of you! Just because I'm a shinigami doesn't mean I can't appreciate young love!" Shinigami-sama beamed, and Spirit smirked at Azusa, leaving her to use every ounce of self-control in her body in order not to hit him – or kiss him – or perhaps both.

"Thanks, Shinigami-sama." Spirit replied, and Shinigami-sama looked directly at him.

"Now, you make sure you look after Azusa," he said, before his eyes flicked to Azusa, "and the same goes for you about Spirit, okay? I wouldn't want any of my Deathscythes getting hurt, now." Both Deathscythes nodded, though Azusa's nod was out of relief more than anything.

"Was that all, sir?" she asked, her voice noticeably calmer.

"Yes, that was all. Were you worried about this, Azusa?" he asked. Azusa looked at Spirit, who held back laughter. She composed herself and looked back at the shinigami.

"No, sir," she lied, "of course not."

"I still haven't forgiven you for today."

"It was a little bit funny, Marie." Azusa was in her pyjamas, sat between Sprit's legs on his couch, resting against his chest with the phone pressed to her ear. Spirit was in his own pyjamas, one arm fastened around Azusa's waist and the other holding his head propped up on the arm of the couch.

"Oh, like you worrying about losing your Deathscythe title over dating Spirit was funny?" Marie asked.

"That's different." Azusa said, sternly.

"Really?" Marie laughed, and Azusa rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Yes. And, please, any opportunity to confuse that meister of yours is one to take with open arms." Azusa remarked.

"Ooh, 'that meister of mine?' Good to see you're still pretending you like him." Marie replied.

"I don't… despise him." Azusa replied, slightly uneasily.

"Can't you manage indifference? You despised Spirit and now you're sleeping together."

"Oh, is that the time, I've got to go-"

"I didn't mean it! I love you! Yumi!" Marie said, desperately. Azusa gave a small, breathy laugh and sighed.

"I don't dislike Stein for the sake of it – as your best friend, I have to dislike the person you're dating." Azusa said, causing Spirit to glance down at her.

"But Spirit's like my brother, and you don't see me going around and hating him." Marie retorted. Azusa went to speak, but she just sighed.

"You know you aren't allowed to argue with me after ten at night. I lose every time." Azusa sighed and shook her head.

"I know, it's so good! It's a national secret, you losing an argument." Marie said. Azusa smirked and stretched out, yawning.

"Oh, sweetie. You sound tired." Marie spoke gently and sympathetically.

"It's been a stressful day. I'll see you tomorrow?" Azusa asked.

"Of course, Yumi." Marie said, and Azusa could hear the perpetual smile in her voice. This made her smile in turn, something she let very few people see.

"Okay. See you them. Goodnight, Marie." she took the phone away from her ear and hung up, dangling the phone over her shoulder. Spirit took it and put it down on the side table before coming down so that his chin rested on her shoulder.

"Are you less stressed now?" he asked, wrapping his other arm around her midsection and glancing across to her.

"I suppose." she sighed and sunk back, but just as Spirit went to wrap his arms further up around her shoulders, she elbowed him in the stomach. He clutched his stomach and his breath was forced out, Azusa turning around with a scowl on her face.

"What was that for?" Spirit cried.

"That was for tapping me on the backside when we went into Shinigami-sama's office." she huffed. Spirit looked up at her, blue eyes sparkling, and he let out a small laugh. Azusa's exasperation grew, but Spirit could not hold back his laughter.

"I'm sorry, Yumi. When you don't have your glasses on, you're kinda cute when you're angry." Spirit admitted.

"I can get them." she crossed her arms, and Spirit stood up and shuffled over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Don't worry about those old things. What's the use of seeing anyway?" Spirit raised his eyebrows and Azusa rolled her eyes.

"You know, I'm not sure if you just act stupid or if you are stupid." Azusa remarked. Spirit shrugged.

"A little of both, I suppose." he smirked, and Azusa roiled her eyes, yawning again.

"Come on, let's get you to bed." Spirit said, quietly. Azusa rubbed her eyes and nodded.

"Alright." she replied, sleepily, turning for the bedroom. As she did, Spirit's hand dropped and tapped her on the backside once more.

"I'm not even talking to you." Azusa shook her head and walked forward to the bedroom. Spirit smirked and scratched the back of his neck with a chuckle.

"Love you too." he called out. All he got in return was a tired grumble.