Some major liberties were taken here. Enjoy~

Prompt; "You fainted...straight into my arms. You know, if you wanted my attention you didn't have to go to such extremes."

It really wasn't fair.

It honestly wasn't.

It's wasn't fair that she was friends with the two biggest schemers in Shibusen.

It wasn't fair that one of those aforementioned schemers was her best friend, and thereby knew her secrets. Namely a certain secret having to do with a certain silver haired meister.

And it especially wasn't fair that her partner in crime was said meister's weapon/roommate.

Spirit was a technically a grade ahead of her (even though all EAT students were mixed together anyway, so not that it mattered, but the point still stands) and so he should be the mature one. Which meant he shouldn't be scaring young girls who've barely just gotten their full transformations down. Which also meant he should have the sense not to mess with the girl nicknamed 'the pulverizer' and the meister known for dissecting innocent bystanders. Which meant that he should know to mind his own damn business.

As for Azusa, she really couldn't say. She was too scared of her to actually try to berate her for fear of a much worse fate than dissections or public humiliation.

So, in conclusion, Marie was totally screwed to the worst degree, with her only warning being in the form of a note in her locker written in the unmistakable scrawl of someone who's mastered the art of the love letter and a few simple words- "It's time to execute operation; mating of the nerds."

Spirit was a dead man.

—

With the crumpled note buried in the bottom of her bookbag and her very last nerves set aflame with the feeling of two very annoying weapons dancing upon them, Marie set about the rest of her day- dutifully avoiding Stein as much as humanly possible. Nygus and Sid were definitely taking notice at how absolutely jittery the usually peppy blonde was, but they decided it was for the best if they simply didn't pry. They, unlike some people, took her well deserved nickname as a sign.

It was during the last period of the day that they struck, just before the bell rang.

—

"Is there a reason you've been avoiding me all day?"

Marie nearly jumped out of her skin, "Uh, no-?"

"You're not a very good liar, Marie."

She swallowed thickly, clutching her Soul Theory book closer to her chest as she peeked around him. The coast was clear. "Okay, fine." She muttered lowly, turning back to her desk to grab her bag. "There's something I need to show you, and you're not gonna like it." He only hummed in acknowledgement as she thrusted the creased little note into his hands.

DING DONG, DEAD DONG.

The bell tolled loudly. Loud enough to nearly drown out the startled shriek of a teenage girl as the nimble fingers of a class-A 'ladies man' both tickled her ribs and snapped her bra strap. What the sound didn't block was the quick flash of light as said started teenage girl transformed. Fortunately for her, somebody caught her before she could drop to the ground. Unfortunately, that somebody happened to be Stein, his wavelength already leveling with hers as to actually be able to hold her. She hoped she could just shrink away and just dissolve inside her demon steel, never to return as she watched Yumi and Spirit high five and Stein thoughtfully flip open the note.

"Operation; mating of the nerds?"

Spirit cackled.

Marie groaned.

Stein flexed his fingers experimentally around the handle of the tonfa resting in his hand. He was silent for a moment before speaking lightly, "Hey, Marie? What do you say to a little bit of extracurricular training?" Her face appeared in the delicate curve of the weapon, and watched as his eyes carefully flipped to their friends.

"Sounds great to me. Should we give them a headstart?"

Stein looked up in time to see his scythe pale and Azusa leap over a row of desks in a beeline for the door. "Hm, okay."

"Five?"

"Four."

Spirit scrambled away, nearly tripping over his own feet.

"Three." Marie chimed, gleefully watching the redhead dart from the room before transforming back in a flash of light. She gave Stein a small smile, "Thanks, and, uh, sorry. For ignoring you, and the, ah, note."

He held up his hand and shook his head, "You're not to blame for our friends' stupidity."

"Fair enough," She said with a small grunt, hefting her bag onto her shoulder. "Walk me home? I think Spirit can stand to sweat a little more."

"Absolutely."

—

"You transformed…straight into my hand. You know, if you wanted my attention you didn't have to go to such extremes." Stein said on their walk down the grand staircase, his hands tucked into his pockets and a barely concealed shit-eating grin on his lips.

The resounding lighting shaped bruise on his bicep didn't go away for another week.