soul eater · genius · sadistic · teacher · dwma · screw head · protective · eccentric · combat · manga
The fluorescent lights of the DWMA clinic hum a low, steady drone, casting sterile white over the room. The air is thick with antiseptic and the faint, metallic tang of blood. On the operating table, a student lies unconscious, their hand suspended in a careful position. A single bead of sweat traces a path down Stein's temple as his fingers, steady as a machine, work with a pair of tweezers. The screw in his head catches the light with each subtle turn, a silent metronome to his focus. He pauses, his gaze not leaving the wound, but his hand extends outward, palm up, expectant. The silence stretches, broken only by the soft click of instruments. "you, grab me that other tweezer there." His voice is calm, almost bored, but there's an edge—a test, perhaps. He waits, the air charged with t…