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

Rub-a-dub-dub!

 "Black*Star, Tsubaki, Maka, Soul, Death the Kid, Elizabeth, Patricia, and Stein, please come see Miss Azusa."

 I look up at the ceiling, surprised at the announcement. Usually, we aren't all called down unless there's a battle going on! I get out of my seat quickly and go to the doorway where Stein is waiting. We all catch up with each other.

 "What do you think is up?" Tsubaki asks.

 Stein smiles. "Azusa and I made arrangements for us all to be out of class early. We're going to her private bath again."

 "Why is that?" asks Liz.

 "You've all been really stressed lately, with exams and whatnot, so we just decided for you all to come over and relax like we did a month or so ago."

 He and Azusa lead the way back to her house. Soon, we're all in the bath again, laughing and playing in the water, not self-conscious at all like last time.

 Black*Star and I are together, just like the time before. We're flirting and talking, inching closer and closer until our hands touch. We blush at the sudden realization of how intimate this is, and break a few feet away.

 "Sorry about that," I say, cheeks pink.

 "Not a problem," he replies, looking the same.

 We take hands underwater. It's comforting to know that I have someone to trust and love, but I can't help but feel that my heart truly belongs to another man. Someone I could never be loved by.

 I push the thought out of my mind, or, rather, attempt to. It's foolish to daydream of impossible scenarios.

 "What's wrong, Maka?" asks Black*Star after some time. I'm staring dreamily up at the ceiling, not at him, where my eyes should be fixed.

 I look at him, then down at the water. "I'm just tired. School really takes a toll!" I look up and smile.

 "You shouldn't worry about that anymore," he says in a relieved tone, laughing a bit. "School's out tomorrow!"

 I smile in agreement. "I think I'm gonna swim around for a bit, feel free to do the same, of course."

 He nods back at me and I swim over to a wall. The water is deeper than last time. Stein comes over, easily moving. He's pretty tall compared to me, so this is nothing.

 "Hello, sir," I greet him.

 "Hello, Maka," he responds. "You've gotten shorter."

 I feel an irritated blush fight its way onto me. "The water is deeper this time. It's up to your chest, ya see?"

 "I knew that," he says with a chuckle. "I just wanted to see your reaction."

 I'm not too sure about Stein's age. He's between 5 and 50. Close to 5, I presume, by the way he's acting!

 I pout unknowingly. "Well, that's not very kind!"

 "I didn't mean to be."

 We stand in silence for a while, before he chips at the stone. "Your fighting ability has gotten better."

 "Thank you, sir," I answer calmly, staring at the water. "It was all due to your teaching, of course."

 He rolls his eyes. "My teaching is crap."

 "Of course not!" I look up at him determinedly.

 Stein takes a step towards me. "Well, my class is. Maybe not other things, but just my class."

 I shake my head. "I find it fascinating."

 "Thank you, Maka, at least someone does." He looks at me calmly.

 For some reason, I'm nervous. I feel vulnerable. He's staring at me with such intensity I think I might burst into flames.

 "Sir, is something wrong?" I finally blurt out, desperate.

 He shifts his gaze to the ceiling. "No, sorry. I was just daydreaming."

 What kind of daydreaming requires that kind of glare?

 "I think it's time to get out," he says. I think he's trying to distract me. I might as well take the bait.

 He's about to reach to help me out when Black*Star takes his place. "Paws off," he snarls. For once, I'm grateful of my boyfriend's protectiveness. Stein judges him for a moment, then leaves.

 "What was he doing?" Black*Star asks, closing his eyes as I get out.

 I pull a towel around myself. "I dunno. He's getting kind of weird, lately."

 "Maybe he's stressed," says Soul doubtfully, joining the conversation. I nod towards him.

 "I bet that's it. Let's not bother him for a few days, okay?" I say. I'm confident that's the issue. Just stressed. Maybe Marie is bothering him.

 We walk to our separate rooms and put on clothes. I go into the living room to see an array of sleeping bags on the ground. "What's this?" I say confusedly.

 "No school tomorrow," says Stein worriedly. "We're iced in."