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Everyone who studies in any sort of scientific field knows about Dr Mobius.
Cruel, ruthless, out of control. An unhinged scientist with questionable morals and even more questionable ideas- the list of things Klein has heard goes on and on .
So when she’s placed in one of her classes at University, Klein expects the worst. She expects to be looked down upon (just like everyone else), to be judged and failed without a second thought but a part of Klein still assumes that it’s all a little over the top, that people are hyping her up to be this horrible person when she’s just a little weird. Even if every interview with her proves her to be an antisocial researcher focused purely on results and not how she got those results.
The morning before her first lecture with the infamous professor leaves her stomach tied in knots. The class is small , barely twenty people, and most of them have chosen to sit as far away from the front of the lecture hall as possible– it seems a little too much, but. Klein doesn’t want to be the odd one out, so she does the same.
It isn’t until Mobius herself walks in that Klein realises how loud the room was before. How much chatter there had been.
Her entrance sends shock waves of silence through the room, rippling from student to student until the only sound in the hall is the sharp click of the Doctor's heels. It’s unnerving how much of an impact one persons entrance can have.
And she is… strikingly beautiful .
Klein has seen the Doctor before, of course, any self respecting scientist has. She may be infamous but some of her work is still highly regarded, and viewed as some of the best in her field. Klein has watched countless interviews from other researchers who describe her as cold and heartless, but never have they described how breathtaking she is in person.
Her black pencil skirt clings to her legs as she walks across the front of the hall to the desk, her lab coat swaying, and curly, green hair bouncing. Klein finds herself oddly enthralled.
She stops by the desk and hauls herself up to sit on it, crossing her legs elegantly. Letting the silence settle in the room uncomfortably before she says anything. “My! You’re all so far away . Come a little closer, I won't bite.”
It doesn’t sound like a request, but nobody dares to move, and Klein will not be the first, no matter how she finds herself wanting to do as the Doctor says. She’s not drawing attention to herself like that, absolutely not .
It doesn’t seem to matter whether Klein wants to keep a low profile though, because after taking one sweeping look across the room, Mobius’ eyes meet hers with an almost magnetic snap, and she does not look away. Klein doesn't either, she doesn't think she can.
“Very well,” the Doctor sighs, her piercing eyes still locked onto Klein. “I suppose you can all stay over there.”
The class seems to let out a collective sigh of relief, but Klein cannot, her breath caught in her chest.
Mobius’ lilting voice carries across the room like honey, and it feels just as sticky and as trapping as her stare. “As I’m sure you’re all aware, I am Mobius-- Doctor Mobius-- and if you call me ‘ Professor’ I’ll make sure you fail. Alright? ” Everyone nods in quick, hasty succession but Mobius only seems to have eyes for Klein still. She gives her own shaky nod. “ Good . Now let's get started!”
—
Every lecture with Doctor Mobius leaves Klein a little more unsettled than the last.
Slowly, the other students began sitting closer to the front, once they realised that Mobius really doesn’t bite-- she's just a little harsh sometimes- - and Klein had joined them, refusing to be the odd one out once again.
Though it’s safe to say she’s getting some special treatment. If she sits on the very front row, Doctor Mobius will find a way to sit on her desk while lecturing, distracting Klein from the topic incredibly well. Testing her active imagination with the idea of soft thighs and tight skirts. And if she’s not at the front, she will be stared at. Often . And without a break.
But no one else seems to notice.
Klein has tried bringing it up with Nuwa and Fuxi, a pair of sisters in the class that she’s slowly formed a tentative friendship with, but they don’t seem too bothered.
“She’s weird,” Nuwa had said. “You’re probably imagining it, she’s just creepy like that.”
And yeah, maybe she’s right. Maybe Klein is just imagining it, but she is not imagining the very high, very impressive grades she’s receiving for work that she knows is not worth that much. Klein prides herself on being a bit of a workaholic– sue her , she enjoys what she studies– but even then, it doesn’t deserve A’s from Doctor Mobius! But Klein can't bring herself to bring it up. She does want to pass this class– though while she would prefer to do it on her own, she knows that Dr Mobius’ pass rates are astronomically low (it's really a surprise she's still asked to teach at all). Unfortunately for her, Klein doesn't have to bring it up, because Mobius does it for her. Their most recent lab reports get passed back and Klein's eyes immediately focus on yet another A, alongside a small pink sticky note: ‘ See me after class.’ Klein is instantly filled with nervous energy, humming under her skin like thousands of tiny insects. She peels the note off of the paper, just so nobody else notices of course, and tucks it into her pocket. When she looks up Dr Mobius is watching her with a sharp smile, sitting elegantly on her desk once more. But it's gone within seconds, and Klein is left trying to convince herself that she imagined it. Mobius’ lectures never usually drag, but this one has never felt longer. Klein's heart does not stop racing and with every glance the Doctor gives her it picks up even more, every sway of her hips as she explains a new topic seems playful , like she’s enjoying herself– enjoying tormenting Klein. But that is her imagination. It has to be. Thank God these PowerPoints get put online. Klein is going to need to go over them again, that's for sure. By the time the lecture is over Klein can barely think about her life past having to speak to Mobius face to face. She runs over every scenario in her mind, trying to find the most likely one, thinking of ways she can respond to anything the Doctor might ask.. Does she think Klein is cheating? No, she can't. Not if she's giving Klein such good grades. It's not even like– “ Klein~” Dr Mobius’ voice cuts through the anxious static in Klein's mind, and she realises they're finally alone in the lecture hall. Mobius leans forward against the front desk, crooking her finger towards Klein. “Come down here so we can talk, Klein.” The way she says Klein's name has her trying to suppress a shiver, but she does as she's told, slinging the strap of her bag over her shoulder and walking up to the desk Mobius has sat herself on. “Dr Mobius…” she says before trailing off. Klein doesn't know what to say. She doesn't know what to expect here. Mobius smiles slyly. “ Hi , Klein. It's nice to speak to my favourite little student, finally .”
Favourite?
“Your work is outstanding, Klein . Very detailed, I love it. You have a wonderful work ethic.” Her smile never leaves her face, and Klein is frozen in place. Mobius says her name so often , even going so far as to emphasise it, it has to mean something, right? “Keep it up, yeah?” “I… I didn't think my most recent report was all that good. I was rushing, Doctor–” “Nonsense ,” Mobius cuts her off with a wave of her hand, the loose lab coat over her shoulders beginning to slip. “Give yourself a little more credit, Klein~” Klein doesn't respond. She doesn't know how , not with Dr Mobius looking at her like that . Her sharp, glimmering eyes staring at Klein like they could see into her soul . Mobius sighs quietly to herself. “Off you go, then.” She takes off her coat as she climbs off the table, folding it over her arm, heels clicking on the shiny wooden floor as she smoothly slinks off to her desk. Klein feels almost frozen, still pinned to the spot by the weight of a stare that's no longer watching her. Her heart races as she watches the Doctor bend down to pick up her bag, short pencil skirt riding up her legs– Klein tries not to stare, she really does. She isn’t usually someone interested in such normal things, but she can’t help it– and then Mobius stands up, turning around just in time to catch Klein’s eyes darting away. She should have left the lecture hall by now, she thinks. She really should have gone. But she's still standing there, even when Mobius hooks her bag over her shoulder and takes slow steps towards her, walking so close that her hair brushes Klein’s fingers by her side. And she could have sworn that she saw a smirk on her lips, quick and cutting– like she's just won some secret prize by flustering Klein– and then she's gone . Joining the crowds of students outside in the hallways like they don't all hurry to step out of her way. When Klein eventually composes herself and follows into the corridor, there is no sign of Dr Mobius.
Probably for the best.
— Despite being both unnerved and slightly flustered from their previous interaction, the meeting does fill Klein with a little more self-confidence than before. Dr Mobius isn't known to lie to spare people's feelings, in fact she's known for quite the opposite, purposefully going out of her way to be rude sometimes for seemingly no reason. So Klein doesn't have any reason to doubt what she said, or the grades she's been given. So if she sinks a little more time into Dr Mobius’ assignments and reports then that's no one's business but her own. She's just making sure her work reflects the praise given to her by the Doctor. That's all. Klein steadily accrues her high scores and A grades (and the occasional B, though something tells her that's just so the ‘special treatment’ isn't as obvious) and even if she should be a little more worried, she does think she's doing good work. She does think she deserves them. And it's not like it's only Mobius’ class. She gets good grades from Dr Mei too. Dr Mobius still watches her though, both in class and outside, on the very rare occasion that Mobius is seen outside of the lecture hall or labs. Sometimes Klein catches a glimpse of green hair and piercing green-blue eyes before she disappears into a crowd and somehow vanishes from view. Vanishing doesn't get rid of that feeling of being watched though. That continues to persist. She doesn't speak to the Doctor after class again though, she's both too nervous to try and she doesn't really get the chance. Everyone tries to leave all at once so as not to be left alone with Mobius after their lectures, and Klein often gets pushed in amongst them all. But when she does see Mobius off campus, it’s always the briefest flashes, except for today apparently. Because today, sitting in Klein's favourite café, at her usual table, with her usual milk tea order , is Dr Mobius. She's dressed just as proper as she would for a lecture, with her short skirt, soft green blouse and black tie. But her curly hair is tied up, leaving a few strands to curl around her face. Klein finds herself walking towards the table on instinct. It's become the norm for her now, to find her table and claim it before she orders her drink, and Mobius doesn't look surprised when Klein slides into the seat opposite her. Tucked into the corner booth of the cafe, mostly hidden from the other customers. “Hi Klein ,” the Doctor says softly, pushing the milk tea across the table. “Your favourite, right?” Klein nods slowly, taking the drink and sipping at it. It is indeed her usual order, just like she thought it was– But how does Mobius know that? “ Good .” Klein feels her face heat up from the purring tone. “I have an offer for you, Klein.” Again she says Klein's name so nicely . Like she's savouring it on her tongue. And she shouldn’t be. Mobius is untouchable for Klein. Unreachable even. But is she really? She's sitting across the table from her, in her favourite cafe, outside of the usual university setting, and Klein could reach over and touch her, where Mobius rests her elbows on the table and props herself up. She could. It'd be so easy. Instead she holds her milk tea with both hands, hoping the cold will shock her back into being normal and nods again. “I'm in need of a new lab assistant, the position has just opened up. I was curious, Klein, would you be interested?” Klein forces herself not to jump on the chance. As much as Dr Mobius can be unsettling, she's certain the benefits to being such an incredible scientist’s assistant would be amazing. She would get access to so much more theoretical research, she could even help Mobius with some of her work! But Klein has studying to do. She doesn't have much free time as it is, if she's going to do it she needs to get more out of it than just research, even if she's desperate to say yes. “Is there any pay?” she asks quietly, hoping not to offend. Mobius’ eyes widen for a split second, like she hadn’t really considered that, before it disappears and she smiles. saying, “Of course. Can't have you going hungry, now can we?” …it’s not like Klein needed much convincing anyway. And really, what are you supposed to do when one of the world's most unhinged scientists buys you your favourite drink from your favourite café? Turn her down? Absolutely not. So Klein becomes Dr Mobius’ assistant. The Doctor doesn't call on her often, only a few times a week, and usually only to be a witness to some experiment that she needs a report for, which is strange to Klein, she won’t lie. She assumed the job would be a little more hands on . Mobius doesn’t really seem to need an assistant, and besides the extra desk in her lab, there’s no real evidence that she ever had an assistant to begin with. But all in all, it's not a bad job, so she doesn’t complain, and Klein starts to see a different side to the Doctor. A side that the public doesn't get to see. Someone who likes small animals and reading scientific essays for fun and lets herself indulge in take-away food once a week-- because while she thinks it’s delicious, she also thinks it’s a little too greasy. And in turn, Klein doesn't get stared at during lectures quite as much. Maybe it's because Dr Mobius sees her enough outside of classes now. Well, whatever the reason, Klein appreciates it. It lets her focus on the work rather than those hypnotic eyes watching her from across the room. She doesn't advertise that she's working for Mobius though. Klein can imagine how Nuwa and Fuxi might react, after all, they seem to be the biggest advocates for the ‘Mobius is a bit of a creep’ club, so she'd rather not give them another reason to doubt the Doctor. And anyway, Mobius isn't a creep, she can just get a little obsessive sometimes. And what scientist doesn't? – The lab appears empty when Klein enters, taking her copy of the key from the lock and stashing it away in her bag. It locks with a click behind her as she flicks on the overhead lights. White light filling the lab and highlighting the neat and tidy desks. Mobius always does keep her work areas tidy, even if it means she regularly loses her equipment and notes. Klein's desk sits in the back corner, though to call it her desk would be a little silly. It's the assistant's desk. The assistant just so happens to be Klein at the moment, she has to remember that. Sitting at her own desk, not far from Klein's, is Mobius, staring intently at her screen. The monitor illuminates her face in an eerie blue, and the flick of the lights appears to startle her away from the screen. “ Klein!~” she grins, sitting up properly at her desk. “Perfect timing! I was just finishing the preparations for my next experiment!” “...In the dark, Doctor?” Mobius pays the question no mind as she rises from her chair and begins moving to one of the small sectioned off areas of the lab. Klein doesn't question the singular chair or the strange electrodes on a nearby tray, even though brain scans are not usually a part of Dr Mobius’ work. Nor does she question when she’s told to sit in very certain terms. Although she really, probably, should have– but Klein doesn’t really consider it her place to question Dr Mobius of all people. So she does as she's told. Mobius takes the small sensors from beside the chair and sticks them to Klein's forehead and temples without an explanation. “Uh, Doctor?” Klein finally asks when Mobius steps away. “What is this experiment about exactly?” “Nothing you need to concern yourself with, Klein~. I just needed a test subject.” Well… that's not exactly reassuring but she doesn't think that was the goal for Mobius, not when she turns a nearby monitor around and happily looks over the screen. “Perfect!” she says. “You're doing so well already, Klein!” …that shouldn't make Klein feel the way it does. It really shouldn't. But Dr Mobius has such a smooth voice, and maybe, just maybe, Klein craves a little bit of the insane Doctor's attention and praise. It's not often she gives it out so Klein must savour what she gets, that's all. Klein really hopes that Mobius can't read her feelings through the readings on the monitor. “I'll use these readings as a baseline,” Dr Mobius hums, tapping at the keyboard. It won't be a good baseline, Klein thinks. The tingle of nerves sits under her skin at being a part of an experiment. Being studied by Mobius makes her anxious . But Mobius doesn't seem to care if her readings are tainted with anxiety, and she moves swiftly on. After being poked and prodded a few times though, Klein's nerves begin to settle. There's nothing weird going on, she can relax . It’s probably just a standard ‘reaction to external stimuli’ experiment. Until… “One last thing then I can let you go, Klein~” Mobius looks at her with a look Klein has never seen before. Her dark eyes seem even darker as she stalks across the room to Klein's chair. Is this what all of Dr Mobius’ test subjects feel when under her care? Klein wonders. Like cornered mice. All of the anxiety floods back through her veins. And then Mobius is right in front of her, so close she could touch, once again, if only she were able to move her hands from where she grips the arms of the chair. Mobius continues to grin, her cheeks flushed a pale pink– it really suits her, Klein thinks distractedly-- and then she brings a leg up and climbs onto Klein's lap . Ah . Klein understands now. This is all a dream . That's why Mobius is behaving strangely, this is all Klein's dream. One she absolutely should not be having about the Doctor, sure, but a dream nonetheless. Mobius’ skirt is too tight to stretch enough, and ends up bunching up around her hips as she straddles Klein's lap. They both barely fit on the chair and it makes for a tight fit, but the closeness only serves to heat up the room even more. For once, Dr Mobius towers over her, looking down at Klein with a satisfied grin and that dark look that Klein now recognises as hunger . Most definitely a dream . …But aren't dreams supposed to end once you know it's a dream? Can't you wake yourself up? While Klein would very much be willing to stay in this dream for a little while longer, she knows she shouldn't. It's improper to dream about Dr Mobius like this. Wrong on so many levels. But thinking about waking up does nothing, and Mobius still sits on her lap with a smug little smile, her own hands sitting dangerously on Klein's shoulders. “Nothing to say, Klein~ ?” she says between them. It was probably quiet, barely a whisper but her voice sounded so loud in Klein's ears, making her heart thump painfully fast in her chest. She opens her mouth to say… something. She doesn't know what, she doesn't have a plan– she still doesn't know if this is even real! -- and the Doctor's eyes flash down to her lips and Klein's mouth goes dry. She's never wanted anyone. It's never quite made sense to her, but this can only be described as want . Klein (as stupid a thought as it may be) wants Mobius to kiss her. And Mobius does. Maybe she really is dreaming, maybe she willed it to happen, but right now she doesn’t care. Mobius leans down into Klein's space, covering her sight with green as her hair cages them in, and then her lips are on Klein's. She's soft for only a minute, until Klein snaps out of the shock of the kiss and decides she might as well kiss back. And then Dr Mobius seems to pounce. Her hands slide up Klein's neck to cup her face, pulling her up into the kiss viciously, her lips parting to deepen it. Mobius’ tongue runs over Klein's bottom lip and then she bites, hard enough to sting, and hard enough to make Klein shudder . Klein doesn't really know what to think. She's never done any of this. She doesn't know what to do, so she lets Mobius lead. Let's the Doctor control it all until her head feels light and empty, focused on the feeling of Mobius’ tongue and lips against hers. On the feeling of her slender, cold hands on Klein's face, keeping her head tilted just how Mobius wants her. Her fingers grip the chair arms, worried that if she moves it will have all been a dream, and she'll wake up to the memory of this and have to go to another lecture, pretending like nothing happened. But with every bite on her lips and gentle brush of fingers on her cheek, Klein becomes more and more convinced that this is real . Klein steadies her nerves and tries to move her arms, slipping her hands under the loose lab coat slipping off of Mobius’ shoulders and rests her hands on her waist. For a second there’s no reaction, and then Mobius sighs ever so quietly into the kiss, the sharp biting and harshness of her kisses calming. The Doctor’s waist feels so slim under her hands, a fact Klein has never paid much attention to. Mobius’ lab coat always hides some of her more… attractive features. It reaches past the length of her skirts and it’s baggy enough to almost always hide the size of her chest, even if she never buttons it up. And Klein never let herself even imagine the Doctor like this, so she’s certainly never considered the shape and feel of her waist. Klein’s heart continues to race, pounding in her chest so quickly she swears it might burst, but she kisses Mobius back like her life depends on it. Like everything for the rest of her life depends on proving to Dr Mobius that-- … what? That this was a good decision? That she should have done this the first time they were alone together? That Klein feels exactly the same way? She doesn’t quite know, but what she does know is that it feels like proving a point, whatever that point may be. The Doctor shifts closer, the folds and creases of her bunched up skirt brush against the bottom of Klein’s hands as her thighs are forced wider. She only pulls back for a split second to catch her breath before she dives back in on Klein, slotting their lips together wetly and pushing forward with her tongue. Klein feels light-headed. The darkness behind her closed eyes swimming as a lack of oxygen begins to catch up to her, but she doesn’t care. The feeling is welcome, and it only heightens everything else. Making Mobius’ touch feel heavenly. Her hands still cup Klein’s face but her thumbs absentmindedly stroke her cheeks. In the height of her dizziness, Klein could mistake it for a gentle sort of caring . But she should know better, no matter why she is doing this, Dr Mobius is not exactly the caring type, not in the normal way. Almost as if sensing her thoughts, Mobius pulls away, leaving a dazed Klein in her wake. She looks almost proud of herself as she looks down at Klein, still perched on her lap. Her hands leave Klein’s face and she brushes over her bottom lip with a thumb. Klein cannot help but think how wonderful she looks. Her lips pink and swollen, cheeks stained with a red flush, even her hair looks a little dishevelled, though Klein thinks that might just be her imagination. She didn’t even get to touch Mobius’ hair. In one smooth movement, Mobius stands on her own feet once more, tugging down the hem of her skirt ever so slightly as she steps over to her monitors. The sudden change leaves Klein unable to react. …did they not just make out in Mobius’ lab? Is that not what just happened? Mobius stares at her monitor like she didn’t just climb onto Klein’s lap and taps away at her keyboard. Klein doesn’t even know what the experiment was about! Unless… “Thank you, Klein~ you may go now.” Unless Klein was the experiment . Unless Mobius did all of that just to get a response for her tests. So… none of it meant anything ? Mobius seems completely oblivious to Klein’s train of thought as she drags a desk chair over. Numbly, Klein begins taking off the sticky electrodes, neatly leaving them on the tray beside the chair. It feels wrong just to leave after that, but Mobius doesn’t seem to care when she gets up as she continues to stare intently at the screens in front of her. Not even bothering to turn around and face Klein. “Thank you again for your help, Klein” she hums as Klein picks up her bag. The tingling, warm feeling she usually gets from hearing Mobius say her name feels a little bit dimmer now that she understands what Mobius was doing-- just using her for another experiment. Klein returns to her dorm disappointed in herself for ever letting herself want Mobius in any way. — Unfortunately for everyone involved, Klein cannot put the event behind her. In fact, it never leaves her mind. Mobius does nothing to indicate that she cares at all, and she never brings it up, but Klein is under the impression that she knows Klein is avoiding the lab. Because she is. Why wouldn’t she? The last time she was there her feelings got toyed with for some new and cruel experiment of the Doctor’s– feelings that she didn’t even realise she had! Mobius both awakened those emotions within her and then crushed them within the space of an hour, and Klein doesn’t know how to proceed. Once she got to know Mobius a little better she assumed that the whole, ‘cruel, unfeeling and cold-hearted Doctor’ was just a front. But maybe it wasn’t. Maybe that really is just Mobius. Maybe she doesn’t care. …But Klein has seen her care. She’s seen Mobius close up when a stray cat runs away from her. Mobius does have feelings even if she displays them a little differently than everyone else. Klein is just… feeling a little bitter, that's all. In the end, Klein comes to only one solution. Talking to Dr Mobius. It’s not ideal, she could just choose to lie her way out of the situation, but Klein doesn’t think she will. Despite everything, she trusts that Mobius has never been untruthful towards her and she hopes she won’t start now. The lights in the lab are once again switched off when she enters, but there’s enough coming through the frosted-glass of the windows that she can more or less see the room. Mobius leans over the counter near the windows, propping her head up on an arm as she blankly watches a plant. It’s a nice plant. Leafy and tall, with drooping flowers, but Klein has never seen a plant in Mobius’ lab before. And briefly she wonders why she’s bought one now. Unless it’s for another one of her experiments. The Doctor looks up as the door opens and startles upright even more when she sees Klein enter the room. Maybe it’s just the lighting, but Klein could swear the smile Mobius gave her was nothing like she’d ever seen before-- sweet almost. “ Klein~! ” she calls, waving her over enthusiastically. “It’s so nice of you to drop by! It’s been so lonely without you.” Somehow Klein doubts that, Mobius has even said before that she often prefers to be alone. “Doctor Mobius, I--” “Come! I have something for you!” Mobius interrupts her before she can even begin. Maybe it’s for the best, Klein was just going to wing it and potentially dig her own grave in the process. But Mobius beckons her over, and Klein does exactly as she requests, because no matter what, she finds it hard to say no to such a brilliant scientist. And besides, a gift? A gift for Klein? From Mobius? It doesn’t quite sound right. But as Klein steps up to the Doctor’s side and she gestures happily to the plant, it begins to feel a lot more real. “This is… for me?” she asks “Of course.” “...why?” Mobius leans back against the counter, propping herself up on her elbows, but she looks anything but confident, a rare sight indeed. Klein would even go so far as to say she looks nervous, or at the very least awkward. “Well– you left in such a hurry the last time you were here--” As Klein recalls, she was told to leave. “--and then you didn’t come back . I thought maybe a nice plant might cheer you up. I know you like plants.” Klein reaches forward to brush the dark green leaves of the plant, the waxy coating feeling smooth under her finger tips. She does like plants. Though she’s never mentioned that around Mobius. “Do you like it?” The Doctor asks, sounding unsure of herself. She looks at Klein blankly, but she likes to think she understands Mobius a little better than most now, she can see through a blank stare and find the small, hidden flutters of emotion. Dr Mobius is nervous. If only a little. Klein nods, and Mobius’ face breaks out into a grin. “ Good. Now, tell me what scared you off? Was it something I said? Something I did?” She approaches Klein with slow steps, stalking forward with every step back Klein takes. It’s a little unsettling, even if the closeness reminds Klein of her last experiment. “Tell me, Klein , what did I do wrong?” Mobius’ voice sends a shudder down Klein’s spine as her back hits a nearby table and she’s cornered . “That, uh--” her voice catches in her throat with the dark look Mobius gives her, looking up at Klein through her lashes as they stand almost chest to chest. “After that… experiment, you just kicked me out .” Mobius tilts her head. “Kicked you out? I assumed I overstepped. When you didn’t return, that hypothesis was all but confirmed.” “I was shocked--” “So I did overstep?” “ No ,” Klein says, maybe a little too quickly. “I was shocked, but I-- I did like it.” It sounds a little pathetic even to her, but Doctor Mobius doesn’t budge. She continues to watch Klein like a hawk, deep blue eyes locked on Klein’s almost uncomfortably, waiting for more of an explanation. “When you said I should leave--” “ Could ,” Mobius interrupts again, “I said you could leave, there is a difference.” Klein glares as best she can under the circumstances. “It felt like you were kicking me out and toying with me.” “And that’s why you didn’t return?” Klein nods, watching the thoughts pass over Mobius’ face. “Hm. Well… that certainly was not my intention.” Mobius brings her hand up almost hesitantly and uses the tip of her finger to trace Klein’s jaw-- she swallows nervously under the touch. “Doctor…” “ Klein~ You’re allowed to call me by my name, you know? ” “ Mobius – I think I like--” Mobius presses her finger to Klein’s lips, silencing her with a shush. “Don’t say it, Klein-- then I might just start to feel guilty . You don’t need to say it, I understand now.” Feel guilty? Why would she feel guilty? Is she talking about her experiment? Klein doesn’t feel as bad about it now that she understands Mobius’ reasons a little better. Though she wishes the Doctor had just explained herself, that's not really Mobius’ style. Mobius must read the confusion on her face and she looks pityingly up at Klein. “You’re a smart girl, Klein, I thought you would have figured me all out by now,” she sighs. “You know, I’ve never had an assistant before. It took me a while to figure out what to do with you, almost as long as it took me to find that little café of yours.” “Doctors, I still don’t understand.” Klein’s lips brush Mobius’ finger still quietly trying to silence her. “As soon as I saw you in my lecture hall I knew you were special, Klein. You can’t blame a girl for doing everything she could just to get you here, all alone, now can you?” And then the puzzle pieces begin to click into place. . Mobius’ staring. How she knew about Klein’s favourite café, and her drink order. Why she never quite knew how to handle having an assistant around despite claiming that the position just became available . Hell-- even how she knew that Klein loved plants, something she had never mentioned because it never came up. Mobius has been watching her. Outside of classes , outside of her role as an assistant. Outside of University. Stalking her, even. She feels… surprisingly little at that realisation. Mobius continues to look up at her through thick, dark lashes, Her finger absentmindedly tracing Klein’s lips, the other hand coming to rest on Klein’s stomach. Her muscles tense not uncomfortably under the touch of Mobius’ cool hand over her shirt, and it’s that second realisation that reboots Klein’s brain. “It doesn’t bother me,” she finds herself saying. Mobius tilts her head in confusion, that small, dangerous smirk lost as she studies Klein for any sign of lying. “I mean, it should-- don’t get me wrong, I’m pretty sure you stalked me– but it doesn’t. Not really. I already knew you were a bit weird.” “ A bit weird, ” Mobius muses. “If this is what a bit weird looks like to you, Klein, I worry about the people you associate with.” Klein agrees. It really should bother her; she knows that, but she has come to accept that Mobius is not exactly a normal person, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that how she expresses her feelings may also deviate from the norm. She shrugs rather than respond verbally. Mobius continues to watch her like she wants to kiss her again, silently tracing Klein’s lower face with her finger still. She must come to whatever decision she was trying to make, because she slips her hand around the back of Klein’s head, and pulls her down to Mobius’ level. They watch each other silently for a moment, the air heavy and thick with tension, and then Mobius slots their lips together in another rare show of gentleness. It is… nicer than before. For one, Klein isn’t as shocked when it happens. She isn’t thrown off balance by the suddenness of it, so she can at least try and savour it. Mobius feels somewhat softer too, even if that is just Klein’s imagination. But it doesn’t last very long. Mobius pulls away much too soon for Klein’s liking, though it feels a little silly to admit that. For some reason she had always viewed Mobius as above such human things. The scientist has always been seen in media and online articles as this untouchable, inhuman being, and Mobius has always leaned into it. But sitting in a lab and working with her has proven otherwise to Klein. She does have a more human side, one that she is showing Klein right now and probably has been trying to show time and time again-- it’s just that… well, maybe Klein doesn’t pick up on things like that too well. Any attempt probably went straight over her head. “I care about you, Klein,” Mobius says between them, much too soft and much too open for Klein to ever think she's as heartless as the general population believe. And maybe it's the closest she can get to admitting exactly how she feels, but Klein will take it. It's more than most would see of the Doctor. “I care about you too, Doctor.” Mobius frowns at her playfully, pouting at Klein. “ Mobius,” she corrects herself. She grins and leaves one last, quick peck on Klein’s lips before she's stepping out of her space for good. “Now, I believe we have an experiment to do--” Mobius says, her smirk back in its rightful place on her lips. Klein is a little disappointed she won't lie, but as always Mobius’ work is too important to her. “--Back at my place .” Oh. Oh, nevermind . Mobius continues to grin as the idea turns Klein's cheeks a flushed red, and then she scoops her bag off her desk and strolls out of the lab. And Klein follows right on her heels, after all, she cannot say no to Dr Mobius.