Screwed Up (Stein x Maka Soul Eater Fanfiction)(COMPLETED)

She's never talking to you again, is she?

By the way, guys, this is after the ANIME. I have not read much of the manga. So I hope it isn't too bad ^~^''

 I knock on the door, silently hoping it will be Soul who answers the door. Next to me is Tsubaki, who I can tell is hoping the same.

 "Yeah?" My heart drops. It's Stein. And he has been at something. Blood stains his hands, and I think of Soul.

 "Where's Soul?" Tsubaki asks. I nod breathlessly.

 "He's fine. I finished building a steel prosthetic for him."

 Tsubaki and I both let out a sigh of relief. "Can we come in?" I ask. "I need to talk to you."

 He looks at me over his glasses, an amused expression on his face. "If you're talking about you molesting me in my bedroom, it's fine."

 "I DID NOT MOLEST YOU!" I shriek angrily. "IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!"

 My cheeks are flushed red from both anger and embarrassment. What, well, who does he think I am?!

 "I'm kidding with you." He takes a sip of coffee. "Lighten up, child, you'll scrunch up like a pair of underwear."

 Tsubaki, always the quiet one, watches us bicker back and forth. Finally, she speaks up. "Can I go see Soul?"

 "Of course, of course," Stein answers carelessly. "Maka, you can come inside, too."

 I give a small glare, but it's overcome by the chill in the air. It is December, after all. My stomach turns and I think of Christmas. Who will I have a chance to be with this year? Last year, Soul and I did a friendly little thing, and so did Black☆Star and Tsubaki. I believe Kid, Liz, and Patty did that as well.

 "Soul is in my bedroom," Stein says, pointing to the room I had walked into earlier and... Well, let's move on.

 Tsubaki nods and rushes to the room, closing the door behind her. Stein and I are left alone, and I remember some questions I had wanted to ask him at some point.

 "So, Doctor..." I start, but he cuts me off.

 "Call me Stein, Maka. Doctor is for school, or Professor if you must. But here, just call me Stein."

 "Alright... Stein. Who was your date for Christmas last year?" I ask, knowing the answer. His glasses shine and I realize I asked a touchy question.

 "Spirit forced me to go on a movie night with Marie and Azusa."

 Most of the Death Scythes had decided to stay in Death City for a while after Asura was gone. Death also found jobs for some of the least likely people. Eruka Frog and Giriko decided to work for Death, and Mifune taught hand-to-hand combat classes for independent meisters.

 "Did it not go well?" I ask.

 "That's one way to put it," he says with a sigh. "I've never been good with girls, and the one person I love is taken. So when Marie tried to kiss me..."

 I wince. "She's never talking to you again, is she?"

 Stein let out a short bark of laughter, and I can feel his humiliation. "There's no good way to let a woman down."

 I look at him. "Oh... I'm so sorry, Stein. That must have been awful."

 He laughs for real this time. "I hate dates. It wasn't her fault. It was Spirit's, really. The year before we did a movie night, just us." He smiles, remembering. "We watched horror movies and he got so scared he had to sleep in my bed for a week."

 The yaoi fan in me blushes and fangirls, but the rational person in me refuses to let it out. "That sounds.... fun."

 "This year, Spirit's probably going to find some chick to pick up, so I'll be alone like any other day. I don't really have friends, and even if I did, they'd have dates."

 I look up at him, realizing his loneliness. His sadness turns to playfulness and he looks at me.

 "So who're you with this Christmas?"

 My cheeks are attacked by a deep blush and I avoid his eyes. "I suppose, no-one. I think I'm getting to an age where all of my friends only want romantic dates on holidays like this."

 "What a pity. You're very pretty, I'm sure you'll find someone." His tone is unusually kind.

 "No, I don't think so," I reply sadly. "Anyone who wants to be with me only wants to be with me because I've become famous."

 "That's shallow," he says. "I'm sure there must be someone who loves you for you. Don't you have your eye on anyone?"

 I train my eyes on his. Does he know? He can't know!

 "No, no I don't," I say, turning away and laying my head down on the armrest to take a nap.

 When I wake up, I can tell something is off. My hair is brushed and I can feel a soft hand rubbing my arm. "Wake up, Maka."

 "Soul?" I open my eyes, and there he is, my faithful weapon smiling slightly. I sit up and give him a tight hug.

 "SOUL! You're okay!" I yell. He winces then laughs.

 "Not so loud. Wanna see my leg?"

 I nod hesitantly and he lifts up his pant leg. In the place of the appendage he had lost is a full steel fake leg.

 "Wow!" I exclaim. It's silver and smooth when I touch it. It must have been expensive to build and attach. I suddenly realize what's wrong, though, and voice my thoughts. "Where's Stein?" I ask.

 "He's resting."

 "Where's Tsubaki?"

 "She went home."

 His voice is oddly cheerful when he talks about her, and I can't help but wonder what happened while I was asleep.

 "We have to stay here for a few days so Stein can watch my movements and help me improve with my walking," Soul says somewhat apologetically, his giddy tone gone. I suppose it was all my imagination.

 "That's alright, Soul," I say calmly. "As long as you're alright, I'll go anywhere."

 "Even to go get takeout?" he asks excitedly, and I roll my eyes.

 I stand and put on a jacket. I grab the motorcycle keys. "Won't be long."

 "WOOHOO!"

 As I rev up the vehicle, I think about today's events. Why was Stein so calm about what happened? Why was I so calm about what happened to Soul? And most importantly...

 "Where the hell is a good Chinese place?"