What is it with you? Stein meets Marie

Three semesters. She had spent three long semesters watching him but never saying a word to him. She would watch him as he sat in the library, devouring every science book he could get his hands on. She often sat just a table away from him in the cafeteria. She knew it was kind of creepy to watch him like this, but there was just something about him that made her want to know more about him; and by studying him, she somehow hoped she could. But as the months went on, and as she continued to watch him, she learned only one thing: she would have to talk to him to actually learn about him. He was too complex.

And here, at last, was her chance, in the form of an open seat.

Usually, he sat on the highest tier of the classroom at the very edge of the sitting space—the room had no desks, only terraces that each had one long, curving table and one long, curving bench. His partner would sit next to him, which meant she never had the chance to get near him. Today, however, he sat in the front row. It surprised her that he was alone, but… This was her chance and she was going to take it. She took in a deep breath and steeled herself. I'm sure he's not as bad as all that, she thought.

He already had a reputation at the academy—he was the kid you didn't want to mess with. Or talk to. Or sit next to. Or look at. Or have anything to do with.

Don't screw this up, Marie. He'll never talk to you again, she told herself, then mentally sighed. Not like he's ever really talked to me in the past…

"Why do you even like him?" her friend had said. "He's just a bully." She hadn't been able to give a reply. She still couldn't. Maybe it was something about his eyes. Those sad, tired green eyes. He always looked so… What was that look in his eyes? Was it fear? Anger? Agony? She didn't know, but she wanted to. She wanted to help him, somehow.

He didn't look up when she took the empty space next to him—he just continued to twiddle a pencil on his desk and stare blankly at the chalkboard. Phew. So far, so good.

Ahh, here was his partner, the class ginger. What was his name again?

"Where were you?" Stein's cold voice always made her heart race.

"I was in the bathroom, geez. It's not like I'm in danger of coming in late—class doesn't start for another fifteen minutes. I don't see why you insist on getting here so early."

He gave only an eye roll in response.

"Oh. Hi there."

Startled, she blinked a few times. The redhead was looking at her. "H-hi!" Cheerful. I'm not nervous. I'm CHEERFUL.

"My name's Spirit." He had to reach around his partner to shake her hand. Stein sneered and sat back against the tier behind him, arms crossed.

"I'm Myn… My name is Marie." Wow. Really? Did I really just mess up my name? I'm such an idiot.

"You're a weapon, too, right?"

"Yes!" she squeaked, then covered her mouth. Did she really just squeak?

"Oh." Spirit looked at her strangely, then sat back in his seat, turning his eyes to the empty podium. It was then that Marie noticed Stein staring at her. She quickly looked away. He didn't.

"What is it with you?" he asked, sounding hostile.

"H-huh?"

"Stein," Spirit chided, glaring at him.

Stein, ignoring Spirit, took one of her braids and pulled it slightly, then took her hand with his fingertips and flipped it over, palm-upwards. Was he… taking her pulse?

"Stein, I mean it. Stop."

He ignored his partner, shifting in his seat so that he was facing her. He reached for her eye patch and she backed away, putting up a hand protectively. What was he doing?

Spirit grabbed Stein's hand, freezing him in his tracks.

Marie held her breath. Was this going to get bad?

For a moment, everything stopped.

Things are going to get ugly. I shouldn't have sat next to him. I knew it, he hates me.

The clock ticked away the seconds.

Now I'll never get to talk to him. He may never even look at me. This is all my fault.

Finally, Stein let out a growl of frustration, climbed over the desk in front of him and stormed to the back of the class. She let her breath out and relaxed, resisting a glance at her silver-haired crush as he flumped down into his regular seat.

"Sorry about him," Spirit said. "He's just like that."

"Oh… It's okay," she said with the sincerest smile she could muster. The teacher had walked in during their exchange and had begun setting up his lecture notes. The clock said there were only a few minutes left until class started. Is he looking at me? Glaring at me? Does he have that spacey look on his face, like usual? I wonder what he's thinking when he does that. What's he doing right now? But she didn't want to look—she was afraid he would be glaring at her.

Ding, dong, dong ding rang the bell that signaled the start of class. Quickly, discreetly, she glanced over her shoulder. Well… At least he wasn't glaring at her. That was a start. But he had an odd look on his face, like he was still trying to study her, even from across the classroom.

Oh, that's right… Marie thought. She had heard rumours that Stein could see people's souls—not just that, though. He could actually READ people's souls. "What is it with you?" Is that what he had meant? Was he looking at her soul? That would explain why he tried to take off her eye patch. "What is it with you?" What did that mean?

"What is it with you?"

Nothing came to mind. She sighed and turned her attention to the lecture. I guess I'll never know…

~*~*~*~*~

She sat down next to him and things were different. Nothing particularly. Just things. Something. Everything. Nothing…. Things. He had seen her around campus, but had never really thought to introduce himself, or even to read her soul. But now, he was rethinking that. She had changed something just by sitting down next to him. The static in his brain, the erratic thoughts, the pain had all died down completely. Even the voices were quieter. Less insistent.

Spirit sat down, then. Finally. It had been his idea to sit up here anyway. Something about a cute girl that always sits in the front. He inwardly rolled his eyes. "Where were you?"

"I had to go to the bathroom, geez. It's not like I'm going to be late or anything. Class doesn't start for another fifteen minutes. I don't get why we have to be here so early."

You just want to sleep in, you lazy bastard, so shut up. Some people want to learn.

Don't say that, you have to live with him and that would not help your resonance. He bit down on the insides of his cheeks to keep from saying anything.

Spirit engaged the blonde in conversation, leaning across him to shake her hand. He'd do anything for a girl.

You're just jealous.

Oh, please… Still there was something about her... Something quieting. Something… nice. He looked over at her. It was almost annoying, frustrating, unsettling. Shocking, even. To be so peaceful inside his brain. It was unfamiliar and nerve-wracking; but at the same time, he felt better than he usually did. Just like someone who had only known darkness is blinded by light at first glance, Stein's soul flinched at the sudden release from madness.

"What is it with you?"

"H-huh?"

"Stein."

Yeah, yeah, shut up. He traced the angle of the girl's eye patch underneath her pony tail, then took her hand so he could take her pulse and also try resonating with her to figure out what was odd about her soul.

"Stein, I mean it. Stop."

YOU stop. He couldn't resonate with her—something was stopping him. Her eye patch? He reached for it to take it off, and she backed away. I just want to know. I only want to KNOW. But Spirit grabbed his hand.

At first, Stein was too shocked, even, to think about yanking his hand away and possibly beating the bejesus out of him. That shock quickly wore off.

Don't.

He's touching me.

Don't.

I want to know.

Don't do it.

I'm too curious—I WANT TO KNOW.

Don't.

I could easily kick the crap out of him.

But why?

…

He had no reply. Frustrated, he yanked his hand out of his partner's grasp; he was hemmed in, or he would have gotten up and left. As it was, he had to jump over the desk in front of him. This is where I wanted to sit anyway. And so he sat. And crossed his arms. And waited for the bell to ring. What is it with her?

His mind had once again become a raucous cacophony. This was familiar. This was comforting. Sure, it was noisy. Sure it kind of hurt. But he KNEW this. He LIVED here.

But now that he had seen peace, he wanted more. Perhaps it would get better with time, in the same way that eyes would adjust to sunlight after a while.

"Good morning, class," said the teacher. Immediately his brain went into hibernation. I guess I'll never know…