|| Sanity || The only thing keeping you apart || (stein x reader soul eater)||

What in the world....

**Note: Stein's perspective 

Finally, classes have ended and so has another day at the DWMA. Sighs Who knew being a teacher could be so boring and so tiring! 

Stein thought to himself as he was heading to the Death Room to have "reflection tea" with Lord Death. Stein twisted his screw with one hand while pulling out a cigar and a lighter with the other. 

Hopefully, Coraline has time to help me grade papers. 

He smiles to himself at the thought of Coraline. His mind trails off to last night. The way she almost freaked because of how teasing he was. He remembers her small moans, the way she would curve her back towards him when he found her soft spot, the way she would look at him....lust in her eyes, wanting more. Stein blushed a shade of pink. 

What am I thinking? I did what Lord Death asked. Though, I still don't get the point of it. 

He reached into his pocket to retrieve the test tube vial. The test tube was no longer than 4 inches in length, the glass was see through, the liquid that was inside left small marks of dried...whatever it was inside of the tube. 

Marie and Justin were also involved. I don't like this at all. It all smells fishy. Talking about Coraline....where is she?

As Stein entered the Death Room, he was able to see that in the center of the room there was a huge pool or cylinder like container, no longer than 11 feet in height and 6 feet in width, filled with water. There was a thermometer on the side, reading -7 below freezing. The top was sealed with what looked like to be copper. On the right side of the container, was a platform...and on that platform was Lord Death, Spirit, Justin, and Marie. 

What the....

Stein trailed his gaze from the platform back to the container where something -- or someone -- was struggling inside. 

......that person.....looks very familiar......

Stein squints and sees that the person inside the container is no other than....

"CORALINE," he yells as he rushes to try and break the container. Stein was suddenly pushed back by another human body. "Let me go! I need to save her! Come on, we need to save her!" Stein struggled against the grip of that person. He looked closely to see that it was Justin the person he least expected. "Justin! We need to save Coraline!" Once he saw what Justin was really doing, Stein felt impelled. "Why are you here stopping me? Why aren't you-" 

Slap

Stein felt a hard hit to the face, once he recovered he saw that it was Marie who slapped him. She looked tired, nervous, worried, but most of all guilty. Stein didn't understand. Who did this? And why? This isn't human! Why torture a person that both Justin and Marie care and look out for? Where is Lord Death, does he have something to do with this? Stein was able to straighten up and realized that Justin was just as shocked as he was.

"We know exactly how you feel. You want to break the glass, save Coraline, you want her to live. You want to apologize. This hurts me, it eats me up inside, it makes me want to take her place, because she doesn't deserve this!" Marie's head was down, there were tears running down her face. "You're not the only one who grew attached to her Stein!" One could see that Marie was at her breaking point, she couldn't take it anymore. She wanted everything to end, she wanted to scream and yell at Lord Death for what he is forcing them to do. "For as long as Coraline was here, I didn't consider her as anything but a threat. With her split personality, with the thought that she could harm you, with the thought that she could cause the end of DWMA, I didn't want her here. But as time went on, she began to change. She showed signs of being human, of being a smart sweet, kind hearten girl.

"When we started going on missions, I was able to learn that we have more in common than I thought we had. I grew attached. She was like a little sister to me. A person who I can trust, a person who I can take care of and call my own. But now...." The tears were coming in faster. She looked up at both Justin and Stein who were staring in shock at what was Marie breaking down. "I have to sit here and wait. Sit here and see her suffer, see her how she struggles to keep her life. And I hate myself for being so useless and for not doing anything about it!" She covered her face with her hands and started crying. 

"This is hard....on all of us." Justin and Stein looked up to see Lord Death, followed by Spirit, walking towards where they were standing. "I apologize for having you...out of all people.....to witness such a mind burning image." Stein looked at Lord Death, trying to read his soul, for responds, a reason for why he is doing something like this. 

"What do you have to do with this? Why are you doing this? It's hard to believe that it can affect you the same way it affects us."

"Why say that Stein? Do you not believe me?" Lord Death didn't make eye contact with one. He was staring at Coraline who was still struggling, but her movements were starting to slow little by little. 

"Why aren't you showing your soul?" Stein's eyes narrowed. 

"This isn't getting anywhere. What's the point, Coraline is in there. Could we not start an argument?" Justin's fists were clenched, his knuckles white from how hard he was clenching them. He was frowning, his eyes focused on the floor, he was thinking. "I want her to live a happy life where everyone who she loves is happy and safe. Lord Death, you have some explaining to do but first," Stein followed Justin's gazes. The water of the container is gone, leaving the body of Coraline laying on the ground, limp and wet. "Let's get her to safety." 

Lord Death signed, "Alright." Everyone looked surprised, no one thought Lord Death would give in so easily. "Justin is right," he sounded tired, "you all need an explanation. First, Coraline needs to be checked, dosed, cleaned up, and confined. I'll explain later this afternoon. Please meet me here in 5 hours. Everything will be explained by then. For now," he turned towards the door, "I'm sorry. I feel the same burden that you do. Trust me, it hurts me more than it does you." With that, he left the Death Room.

Marie went to help Sid and his partner get Coraline out of the freezing container. 

"Well," Justin turned to look at Stein. Just like Lord Death he sounded tired, wiped out. "I'll see ya later. May God forgive our sins today." He left. 

Stein watched as Coraline's body was taken to a separate room. She was still tied up, the blindfold still on. 

Hang in there. I'll find out why they did this to you. I'm sorry, Coraline. I should have protected you when I could. 

Stein leaves the Death Room, lighting up a cigar and twisting his screw, hoping to get a few drinks before the meeting. 

A/N: Hoi!! It's Christmas Break!! Thank God, I was getting tired of school. XD Anyway, I apologize again for the late update. I had to prep for finals. T.T Good thing those are over with! Well, hope you enjoyed and I promise to update soon! Thank you!!!! 

-Blue. <3