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

Rebellious Phase!

Sorry it's so short! I wanted a good cliffhanger, maybe I'll upload the next chapter later today!

 "Soul! I'm back!" I walk in the door, surprised to see that there were way more people than I had expected. "Oh no... I only bought dinner for 3!"

 "Whoa, calm down," says Liz. "We're here to see Soul. We all already ate besides the creepy doctor, you, and Soul."

 "Stein isn't creepy." Why am I defending him? He's not too close to me, and he kind of scares me, to be honest.

 "Well... Okay then..." Liz replies hesitantly. I feel my cheeks redden slightly and hand Soul his box.

 "I hope you like it," I say, and the ice breaks. Everyone is back to talking calmly again. I walk over to Stein to give him his box.

 "Here you go!" I say cheerfully. He looks up at me slowly, slightly confused.

 "Why'd you defend me? It's not as if her little comment would cause harm to me."

 "Ah...." I try to think of a reason but my mind goes blank. Stein notices.

 "Well, it was a kind gesture. Come sit with me to eat."

 I nod and plop down next to him. He takes his box of food from me and inspects it. "Orange chicken, beef, fried rice..." He looks up. "You'll make me fat, Maka!"

 "Believe me, you won't," I reply. "Soul eats much more than this and he stays skinny."

 Stein is stunned for a moment, then chuckles. "I'm far older than him, Maka."

 My cheeks flush pink. "Well... You just look pretty young in body size and stuff... so I assumed you would work a little bit like him. Sorry." I look down.

 "Oh." He cracks a grin, one I haven't seen for a while. I don't see insanity, or malice. It's just a man smiling. And I think it's beautiful.

 I break into giggles for no reason.

 "Maka, are you alright?" he asks, stifling laughter as well.

 "I just-I love your smile!" Well dammit.

 Confusion replaces glee, and he looks at my furiously red cheeks. "Well," he says slowly, "You're not too bad-looking either."

 It takes me a moment to realize that all eyes in the room are on us. I don't think it's possible, but I blush deeper. I stand up. "I'm going to go rest, I don't feel very well," I say loftily. It's the only way I can speak right now, otherwise my voice would be shaking very badly. There is silence as I walk to Stein's room, and silence as he gets up to follow me.

 "I'd better find her some pills, or something," he mutters just loud enough to hear.

 "Or maybe you'll just make out with her!" cackles Black☆Star. Soul hits him over the head, angrily whispering something to him. I turn around and go to collapse on Stein's bed, only to realize that he's already there. I groan and sit on the floor.

 "I'm not laying next to my teacher."

 He smiles slightly. "I'm not asking you to. Come lay down. I'm getting some medicine for your head."

 "You know very well I don't have a headache and I know very well that you don't keep medicine for common ailments!" I'm shouting and I don't understand why I'm doing it.

 Stein sits up. "Maka, what's wrong?"

 I lay my head in my hands. "You won't be able to understand."

 "I was a teenager, too," he says quietly. "And I'll bet you anything that it was worse than how you are."

 I look down. I realize that, but he doesn't understand that I don't want an explanation, or a "Mine was worse" competition. He's a guy. Guys don't work like girls. What I need is someone to come and give me affection, pity, love even. And guys don't do that usually. Soul does, but he's... different.

 "I think I'm gonna go downtown," I say shortly, standing and avoiding his eyes. "I'll be back by midnight."

 He looks surprised. "That's too late to be out, Maka!"

 "Well, you have no authority over me outside of school, Stein." I make sure to stress his name, like he told me to call him. It seems so long ago I was bringing in Soul to get help, and now I'm storming out on a man who tried to give help. I guess that's what being a teen is like.

 I open the door and Black☆Star and Liz fall into the room. I give them my worst glare and pull Tsubaki out of her seat.

 Looking Stein straight in the eye, I speak.

"Hey, guys, wanna go skinny dipping?"