Just Practice
by. Poisoned Scarlet

Summary: Isn't this just like being married?" In which Stein questions her motives for staying with him and Marie answers in the most interesting ways possible.
Rating: K+
Genre: Romance/Humor.
Pairing: Stein/Marie.
Authors Note: This idea had been snuffing out all my other Soul/Maka ideas for the longest time now XD The ending's weird. I think I got Stein and Marie down right although I could be wrong – I'm still fairly new to the fandom. All I know is that, even if Soul/Maka is my favourite couple, I, surprisingly, find it far more interesting to write Stein/Marie... weird. I'm usually all over my OTP's.
Story Notes: Post-Soul Eater anime. I assume Soul and Maka still have some Black Blood running through their body...

Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater.

Stein didn't quite understand what Marie was still doing in Death City. She had been called by Lord Death in order to tackle the Kishin problem but now that that was done and over with there wasn't any reason for the 'retired' Death Weapon to stay – much less in his dank and often referred to as 'creepy' home.

Yet there she was, humming a tune under her breath in the kitchen he only used to rinse out his unfortunate prey. He could hear dishes clank, pots and pans hiss with whatever she was cooking, and eventually the homey smell of dinner wafted into the makeshift living room.

The once gloomy and gray walls had been splashed with color, small hints of her inhabitance in his home, and it no longer smelt of disinfectant and anesthetics but rather held a distinct, foreign, scent that reminded him of newly blossomed flowers.

"Stein!" Marie's cheerful voice sounded from the kitchen. "Dinner is ready!"

But Stein had long since abandoned his work due to his curiosity regarding the cheery woman. She was far more interesting than his current project: she was a delicious mystery he simply couldn't resist not solving.

Why did she willingly stay with him, knowing that he could very well be lurking in her room at night, awaiting her sleep, in order to slice her open?

Why did she treat him so normally, knowing that he was far from it and could possibly be considered clinically insane because of his sadism and otherwise unhealthy obsession with dissection?

Why did she have no problem touching him and trusting him when others tended to keep their distance and wouldn't even let the thought of trusting him cross their minds?

Questions always had answers.

Answers always had questions.

Ignorance was something Stein couldn't stand, not if the questions had answers, and he currently had two choices to combat his current bout of ignorance: ask Marie cautiously or deadpan his questions...

With Marie, he decided being vague would get him nowhere.

"Stei—oh, you're not in your lab!" Marie walked into the living room, holding what seemed to be a scalpel in her hand. The way she held it made him rise a brow. She looked just about ready to cut into something alive and breathing. Not that he would mind but he certainly didn't want blood to stain his floors – blood took far too long to clean up and it stunk like decay after a few hours... "I made some steak. You like yours medium-rare, right?" At his nod, she beamed in relief. "Oh, good! I'm glad I got it right! The rice and vegetables should be ready in a few minutes, so I suggest wrapping up whatever you're working on right now because you're not skipping dinner tonight! It's not healthy for you to skip so many meals!" Marie waggled the scalpel in her hand sternly, Stein staring back blankly.

"Of course," was all he said. "But first, may I ask you a question?"

Marie blinked. "Oh. Um, sure. Go ahead, Stein, ask me anything."

He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, hiding a smirk. The woman needed to watch what she said – he tended to take things literally. "Why are you still here?"

A tense silence hung over them.

Marie lowered the scalpel she often used to cook, as Stein owned no real kitchen utensils, and fidgeted for a second. The question caught her off-guard. Or, to be truthful, caught her red handed. There was no real reason for why she was staying.

She had done her part in the downfall of the Kishin Asura and had helped pull Stein out from madness.

Yet she had stayed with him one week past her release date from the academy, not heeding the fact that she sometimes heard her bedroom door creak open or she felt fingers trace the curvature of her spine; the cold brush of metal against her waist sending shivers down her body...

"A-am I bothering you?" Marie asked testily. "Because if I'm being a burden, I can just move out..."

Stein leaned forward on his swivel chair, tilting his head to the side very slightly. "That wasn't my question."

Marie twisted the scalpel in her hands, dropping her eyes away from his own penetrating ones. She could feel him analyzing her behavior, her sudden silence, and she could see the wheels turning in his brilliant mind; dissecting her thoughts, her actions, and coming to conclusions that might very well be accurate.

Be honest...

Stein was a scientist. Lying to one would only be problematic to her and him – her because he would continue to pester her, and him because he would soon grow frustrated with her dishonesty.

Just say it. What's the worst that can happen, r-right? She gulped.

"I-I...like being here." Marie whispered, exhaling a breath slowly to calm her nerves. "Back in Oceania, I always felt pressured into finding someone to settle down with. Be it because it made me feel lonely watching other couples so happy together or because of my own silly ideals...but here it's different. I forgot how nice it felt to...just have a roommate. There's no pressure, there's just pleasant company and I guess that's why I'm reluctant to return to... my own home. I like it here."

Stein was silent, unflinchingly staring at her tiny form, the crease between her brows that gave way to her anxiety. He was truly surprised: she actually liked living with him? Somehow, he knew no one would believe that. She looked like she was being honest, too, which further intrigued him.

But something else had been proven by her words: she did feel pressured into marrying. He was right about that. Of course, he thought it was an absurd reason. He would certainly never tie that knot just because everyone else was married – mostly because one would have to be quite insane to marry him, given that the instant that happened he practically had free reign of that woman's body and, trust him, he wold be more interested in opening her up to see how she functioned than other things no doubt normal people like Spirit or perhaps Soul Eater Evans would be eager to preform.

"I see." He replied. "But isn't it neglectful to leave your home abandoned for such an extensive period of time?"

Marie waved his concerns off, still subdued. "There isn't anything inside my house that can be considered special or meaningful to me. I took all that with me before I left." She tapped the scalpel in her palm, quietly flashing her eyes up at him before lowering them once more. She bit her lip, unsure of how to ask the question that was bugging her, and Stein felt a faint smile twitch on his lips.

"Yes...?" He asked, smirking when she jumped.

"I..well... can I stay here?" Marie meekly asked. She quickly added: "O-only for a little longer! I'll be out of your hair sooner than you can dissect a rabbit, I promise!"

The joke made him chuckle. He pushed his foot to the right and swiveled his chair to face his lit computer screen once more. "Do whatever you wish."

He heard her relieved sigh and only felt his smirk widen a little more. There was no harm in testing her mental strength, wasn't there? "Although, it is not my responsibility if you suddenly wake up dead in your bed."

Marie scoffed airily. "You wouldn't cut me open all the way! That's too risky and you know it, Stein!"

His brows shot up at her statement, the unspoken words that fit between the spaces far more interesting to him. "You don't mind being experimented on?" He turned to her, intrigued. "I am sure you have heard of my tendencies to open up my guests from Spirit and the others...?"

Marie pouted. "Yes, I have. But I haven't seen any scars on my body except this one near my waist..." She poked her waist, the healing scar that didn't hurt. It felt numb. "I have no clue what you wanted to see under there but if it was my ovaries, you've got the wrong spot, doc!" She laughed, cheerfully.

"... You do know it isn't normal for someone to act so casual when they're being cut open without their consent, right?" Stein dryly asked, Marie merely widening her smile.

"Oh, I know!" She scratched her nose, a sheepish smile crawling on her lips. She felt her face warm as she smiled shyly. "But I trust you, Stein, as strange as that sounds. I'm confident you wouldn't allow anything bad to happen to me – even if you are digging around my insides." She paused, eying him. "You know, if I see one scar somewhere important I'm going to chop you up into little pieces, boil you, then feed you to the dogs!"

"Gruesome." Stein smirked. "I doubt I'll be tasty, though."

"Stein..." Marie warned, tapping the scalpel in her hand more threateningly now. Her eyes suddenly widened, threat becoming empty. "Oh! I forgot to turn off the stove—I hope the rice hasn't burned!" She rushed back into the kitchen and Stein vaguely heard her cry of frustration over his loud thoughts.

She wanted to stay with him.

She didn't mind being cut open, for some disturbing reason he didn't want to question. She was basically giving him permission to slice open that soft, soft flesh...

And he had a feeling she would be around for far longer than she said she would. It interested him how he didn't mind at all, perhaps even welcomed it, even though at first he had been increasingly annoyed by her subtle transition into his home; the flowery decorations, the suddenly lively living room, the orderly desk, lab, bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen...

"Dinner time!" Marie chimed, holding a plate steaming with scrumptious food. Stein pushed forward on his chair, absently wheeling into the dinning room as Marie placed the plate in an empty spot, where he wheeled himself in like usual, and she walked back to the kitchen counter to grab a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice.

"I was under the impression that orange juice was only served with breakfast." Stein commented offhandedly, picking up his fork.

"Juice is juice!" Marie briskly replied. "There isn't anything that states orange juice should only be served with breakfast! That's just ridiculous!"

He chewed his food thoroughly, watching Marie through his glinting spectacles as she served herself and sat down across from him, a small smile dancing on her lips as she took a sip from her own glass.

"How is it?" She asked, after a few minutes of silence.

"Fine, as usual."

"Good!" She happily ate, so easily pleased by just a few simple words. Stein was still in the process of understanding her thought structure. It was true that, once upon a time, they had both had something together but his own infatuation with dissection and her own rising status to being a Death Weapon had stunted the growth of their affections. But he had never really been interested in her thought structure before – he had only agreed because she sounded so desperate and he enjoyed watching Spirit envy him from afar. It was a funny sight...

But now it wasn't like that.

She felt like a colleague of sorts – perhaps even a friend. A very close friend, if she was willing to be cut open by his hand. Stein had the feeling she didn't understand the severity of her words but he would first hang himself than shatter this golden opportunity to strip her bare and allow his impulses to be sated...

He felt a grin threaten to crack his bored face.

He had to calm down. He could feel the tendrils of madness start to weave around his consciousness; start to make his heart pound, his logic distort...

He needed to take deep breaths and relax; regain control.

Even if it felt like Christmas had come early and Santa had finally decided to grant him his wish of a willing test subject for his own educational purposes...

He rose a hand and rested his chin in it, fingers covering the dark smirk that twisted his mouth.

"Oh! Stein!" Marie broke his sadistic thoughts. "Maka came by today but you weren't in. I think you were out picking up the things you ordered for your lab... anyway, I told her to come by tomorrow around twelve. Is that alright? Or are you busy..?"

"Noon is fine." Stein nodded, controlling his impulses with practiced ease. "Do you know what she wanted?"

"She was concerned about Soul, I think." Marie smiled fondly. "They make very compatible partners, don't you think?"

"Yes, they do, despite their souls apparent contrast. That is, if they ever admit it." They weren't talking about weapon-mesiter compatibility anymore, that much was evident.

Marie giggled. "Don't be so mistrusting! They're still kids!"

"They won't be soon." Stein drank some of his juice.

"But until then, it's okay to be a little distant." Marie tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Although, it is a little impossible for those two to be distant, isn't it? With what their permission to enter each others souls and such..."

"I believe Maka has been the only one to enter Soul's unconscious." Stein said. That sounded about right. "It would make sense – Soul has succumbed to the black blood that runs through his system far more times than would be considered advisable. But there was an instance..." He briefly recalled Medusa and their fight, how he had sensed a disruption within Maka's soul when she disobeyed him and fought with Crona and Ragnarok.

"Yes?"

Stein glanced at Marie, her happy and patient smile, and felt his own mouth lift upwards in something other than sadism. "Maka has succumbed to madness before as well although Soul has always been successful in retrieving her from the bottomless pits of insanity." At Marie's worried expression, he added: "Their bond is strong. It's the strongest I've seen in any partner. As long as they continue to strengthen their trust with one another, there should not be any lasting effects regarding the black blood that runs through both."

"Black blood..." Marie mumbled to herself. "It sounds like a life commitment, you know? Both of them have black blood running through them still, even if its just a little bit, and they need each other to keep the other in check. I don't think they yet realize the result of Soul being infected with black blood!" She realized suddenly, causing Stein to snort.

"You aren't very bright, are you?"

"Stein! That's not fair!" Marie whined, a pout setting on her lips. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Simple: you'd blurt it out and ruin their progress." Stein answered bluntly.

"But – but how do you know I won't do it now?" Marie insisted. "Maka is coming over tomorrow and I have nothing to do!" She sang tauntingly.

"You wouldn't do such a thing." Stein said confidently, her own facing warming at the devilish grin on his handsome face. "Not when I have full access to every part of your body..."

"Wh-what?" Marie squeaked, face flushing red. The way said it implied something else but Marie knew better than to think Stein was that low. He had hit a whole new level of low: dissection. "You do not!"

"I recall you implying that I was able to slice you open at night so long as you were in my home." His grin widened at her wide eyes. She really hadn't understood the extent of her own words! "I doubt you'll be able to implant such thoughts into Maka if you're fussing over what organ I might decide to observe tonight."

Marie shivered at his creepy smile. "Shut up, Stein! You're creeping me out..."

He merely chuckled; a haunting, frightening, chuckle. "I know." He stood up suddenly, scaring the living daylights out of her when he placed the napkin on his empty plate and began to pick it up.

"O-oh! Don't! I'll clean up the dishes after I finish!" Marie said hastily, watching Stein pause and put the plate back down.

"You also wouldn't be able to concern yourself over Maka and Soul's rising intimacy if you are too busy pondering over your own rising domesticity." Stein commented casually, heading towards the ajar door that would lead to his laboratory.

"Domesticity? What do you mean by that?" Marie squawked in confusion. When he didn't respond, she puffed her cheeks out. "Stein! Don't you dare ignore me! Franken Stein!" She snapped, irately.

"Quiet down!" Stein rolled his eyes. "I was merely implying that our partnership reminds me matrimony." A sadistic smile crawled on his face, knowing he'll hit a nerve with his next words: "Isn't this just like being married? Think of it as practice for when you are." He stepped into his lab, closing the door behind him as Marie froze with the scalpel hovering over her own piece of steak; his words spreading cold throughout her body.

"St-Stein you, you jerk!" She whispered angrily, stomping into the kitchen with their dinner plates in her hands; her own plate half-finished. Not only had he officially made her wary of sleeping but now he was stuffing her head with thoughts of marriage! It felt frustrating because she knew he was doing it on purpose!

"Practice..." Marie scoffed with a scowl, gazing at herself in the reflection of the dinner plates she was washing in the sink. "For when I'm married, huh?"

She didn't know if she would ever even get married. No one she had been with seemed willing to be serious with her nor were they able to handle the intensity of her own emotions. She was a very physical and affectionate person and apparently that wasn't a very good trait in a woman – all men seemed repelled by the sheer thought of all the affection and love she would smother them in...

But now she didn't have to worry, she reasoned, because she was living with Stein and they both knew they weren't cut out for the married life – no matter how much she wanted to have a ring around her finger...

But that would never happen now because she was bunking with Stein and kind of avoiding the whole topic of marriage since it made her depressed. It didn't matter that he had just said their partnership reminded him of marriage. She was just crashing at his place...for a long, long, long time. Until he got bored or annoyed with her and kicked her out. It was kind of like being married but not really because they had nothing going on.

She didn't like the psycho, anyway! No way! It hadn't worked out once, it wouldn't work out again.

Yeah.

They weren't going to get married! Or even together. That was absurd! Ridiculous! Ludicrous!

It was impossible...

It was just-just practice because no matter how unlikely it seemed that she would never get married, she could never know, right? The future was always changing, right? She wasn't warming up to Stein: she was just using his home as a means to escape the drab life she had lead in Oceania...

"Oooh, my head! Damn you, Stein!" Marie wailed, holding her dizzy head and swearing she heard his ghostly laughs come from the laboratory down the hall...