Manga - Addicts Presents:
Treading Water
An Evangelion Fanfiction
Version 2 02/03/2002
project start 05/10/2001
***
Neon Genesis Evangelion created by, registered, and copyrighted to GAINAX Project EVA, Movic, and any other company and/or division associated with
the creation and/or production of Neon Genesis Evangelion. A.D.Vision
holds the copyrights to the English version of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
This work of fiction is not intended for any commercial purposes but was created for the entertainment of the Author and Fans of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
No copyright infringement was in any way intended.
Treading Water written by Jino Turtlegod
Author's Notes: Hmm. Okay, this can be considered to be a sequel to "Red Rose, White Day" but reading that fic is not necessary to understand this one. I don't think I can really make a sequel worthy of RRWD so I didn't really put in mind that I'm writing a sequel as I wrote this one. Anyway, just think of this as a sequel to any fic where Shinji finally reveals his feelings to Asuka, and have fun.
PS: I would have titled this EVA Kare Kano but someone beat me to it.
Text Styles:
" text " - spoken
:: text :: - thought
% text % - sang
/ text / - electronically transmitted
[text] - computer text
TEXT - white text on black screen
_ text _ - stressed
* text * - sound effect
***
WAFF Warning! Discontinuity Warning! OOC Warning! All Standard Non-Lemon Warnings Apply! Minor Lime Content!
***
Part One: Drowning
***
Shinji Ikari, a young Japanese teenager with dark hair and dark blue eyes stood in front of the barbecue grill and tended the steaks, grilled vegetables, and the pots of soup and rice. He frowned slightly at his lot in life. Yes, a domesticated male as Asuka had once so derisively remarked. He knew something like this would happen when Misato planned the well earned vacation to this seaside villa.
Not that he was complaining.
It was a good day for the beach. In fact, due to the eternal summer of post-Second Impact Japan, four out of five days was a good day to hit the beach (it also meant that one out of five days it would be raining cats and dogs). Shinji had to admit that it was quite relaxing, even if he did have to do minor chores like cooking, cleaning up after meals, and looking after his own guardian.
He had the bright sun to warm him, the soft sand to cushion him, the cool wind to fan him, the song of the surf to lull him - it was really conducive to relaxing - a good thing if his stressful life was to be considered. All that he could really wish for now, was his SDAT player (which he forgot to pack) and a girl to share it with...
The Hedgehog blinked, ::Where did that come from?::
He sighed. Girl. Specifically, one with red hair, about five feet three inches tall... The one with the fiery personality. Damned good kisser...(not that he had anything for comparison) ::She's still avoiding me...::
Shinji was startled from his reverie by the sound of music. He frowned. Dancing music. He shuddered. Loud dancing music. Truth be told, Shinji hated dancing music. It was too loud and it kept giving him the desire to dance - something that Shinji didn't know how to do and therefore he hated for its potential for embarrassment. He looked at the source of the annoyance, knowing it to be the huge audio player that Lt. Aoba had been lugging around.
Instead of being annoyed, Shinji had a quirky smile on his face when he finally laid eyes on the audio player. Misato was in front of it and gyrating (yes, that's the right word for it) in her black strapless swimsuit. Shinji would have been ordinarily ashamed and embarrassed of his guardian, but what she was trying to do amused him to no bounds. As she was dancing, she was explaining to Rei the finer points of what she was doing. Rei stood impassively in her usual white swimsuit as she watched her dancing instructor. Shinji could see in the blue haired girl's eyes that she was just humoring the Major's order to learn how to dance.
Shinji decided not to complain about the music. If it was going to amuse Misato and keep her out of trouble, then so be it. As he returned to his cooking he glanced around the villa. It was a two story building built on a slope that had been shored up with boulders and concrete. A wooden deck extended from the house and across the slope on stilts. Lieutenants Hyuga and Ibuki were on the deck, sitting at a table that had one of those giant umbrellas stuck in the middle. A short stairway lead from the deck to the beach. A short way from the stairway was the pavilion where Lt. Aoba was taking a nap (heedless of the loud racket), Misato was teaching Rei how to dance, and Toji sulked. Beside the pavilion was the barbecue grill where Shinji had been volunteered to slave away. Hikari (in a neon green swimsuit) and Pen Pen were playing by the waterline. Shinji briefly wondered where Kensuke went off to.
Shinji looked back towards the house as he looked for his military-fanboy friend.
***
Maya and Makoto sat under the umbrella and looked out towards the sparkling sea.
Maya wore a button up shirt (which had all the buttons undone) over her black swim suit, and very short cut-off jeans.
"ne, Makoto, I know its strange to complain since this is a great place and all, but do you wonder why the Commander allowed all of us to take our vacations together? I mean he's not usually this generous and I personally think he's not a very nice person." Maya sighed. "I know I should try to be happy, but after everything that's happened..."
She looked up at her silent friend. "Makoto? Ne, Makoto?"
The pretty young bridge bunny leaned over towards Makoto and followed his line of sight. Where her eyes landed didn't make her happy. Maya frowned. "You jerk! You weren't even listening to me! You- you- PERVERT!!!"
Makoto blinked from his new position on the floor as Maya stomped off towards the pavilion. One moment he had been watching Misato dance, then the next moment he was on the floor with an aching cheek. "What the Hell just happened?"
***
Shinji sighed. He briefly wondered what happened on the deck but he was able to quickly shake off the feeling. It was none of his business if Lieutenant Ibuki wanted to slap Lieutenant Hyuga silly. It was probably a bridge bunny thing. Besides, being interested in other's personal lives had thrown his own into turmoil.
***
HIS CIRCUMSTANCE
[Flashback]
[Shinji's Voice: It started about a week ago...]
"OY!!! SHIN-CHAN!!!" Asuka waves happily at the dark haired boy from beside the school swimming pool. It was the end of the school term and their class had been assigned the task of cleaning the pool area. Asuka and several other female classmates all wore their school issue black swimsuits as they cleaned the pool.
"Um, hi, Asuka-chan," Shinji replied in his usual timid manner, his cheeks red as he gazed at the auburn beauty. Shinji had spent the morning cleaning the classroom with the rest of the class. He had taken off his school shirt and was just in his blue undershirt, black trousers and sneakers.
Shinji had just dumped the contents of the garbage pail into the school incinerator and was on his way back when Asuka called him. Like a moth drawn to fire, Shinji made his way to Asuka.
"ASUKA! Stop flirting with your boyfriend and get back to work!" Hikari cried out as she stomped over to her friend, the Class Rep shouldered her mop in a belligerent manner. This was uncharacteristic of the Class Rep, but she was hot, tired, and hungry. And she was---
"Yo, Shinji, stop talking to your girlfriend before Hikari sees you and chews both our asses of---" Toji trailed off as he saw the aforementioned girl stop in her tracks. He blushed and couldn't look straight at the freckled girl. Hikari frowned, gritted her teeth and turned about - and stomped back to the far end of the pool.
"Hikari..." Toji whispered as he threw a longing glance at the girl.
Shinji and Asuka could have sworn they felt the cold air between Hikari and Toji. Then, with a defeated slump of his shoulders, Toji trudged back to the classroom, dragging his garbage can with him.
"Weird. What was that all about?" Asuka asked the boy beside her.
"Um... er... maybe you should ask Hikari?" Shinji replied uneasily as he brought up the garbage can as a shield between himself and Asuka. His eyes darted to the sides as he began to look for a way out. He began inching back the way he came.
"Why ask her, when it's already clear that you know what's going on?" Asuka narrowed her eyes as she moved between Shinji and the only way out of the pool area. Shinji was acting very guilty about something and she would get to the bottom of this!
"I- I'm sorry Asuka. I- I can't." He eyed the pool behind him uncomfortably.
Asuka looked in astonishment at the boy before her. "Can't? CAN'T?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'CAN'T'?!"
Shinji looked around nervously, and sure enough, everyone except Hikari was looking at them. The Class Rep was too busy mopping the farthest end of the pool area.
"DAMN IT!!! I'M YOUR GIRLFRIEND!!!"
"A- Asuka, calm down." Shinji tried vainly to appease her. He was quite red at the attention he was receiving. It was like White Day all over again, when Asuka had marched to the front of the classroom after lunch and announced that they were an official couple and that she would personally tear to pieces anyone who dared make a pass at _her_ Shinji. The buzz that incident created had taken several weeks before dying down.
"CALM DOWN?! HOW THE FUCK CAN I CALM DOWN WHEN MY BOYFRIEND'S KEEPING SECRETS FROM ME?!?!"
This line finally made Hikari stop ignoring them and look sympathetically at Asuka.
"I can't. I promised I won't tell." Shinji had the determined look on his face and Asuka knew that she could shout all she wanted and it would accomplish nothing.
Asuka gritted her teeth in anger. She glared at Shinji. Then she was suddenly calm. Very calm. "This is your last chance..."
Shinji screwed his eyes shut. "I can't."
Silence as Asuka stared impassively at Shinji.
"Then I suggest that you reevaluate our relationship."
Shinji felt his heart break.
Then Asuka pushed him into the pool.
[Fade to black]
***
"Hi, Shinji," Maya smiled as she came up to the boy.
"Hi, Lt. Ibuki," Shinji smiled back in a sheepish manner.
"We're off duty, so call me Maya. I prefer it over Lt. Ibuki - makes me feel human," Maya took a cooking fork and began helping the boy grill the steaks. "Why don't I take over while you go for a swim?"
Shinji froze. "I - I'd rather not."
"Why?" Maya was beginning to relax at the delicious aroma of food.
"he can not swim," Rei said from behind Maya. Thankfully, Maya was already used to Rei so she managed not to scream in surprise. Rei wrinkled her nose at the smell of cooking steaks and turned to walk back towards the stereo.
"shinji, do you want to dance?" Rei turned to the boy.
That actually surprised Maya.
***
"It's not my fault he didn't know how to swim..." Asuka groused as she looked at the fruit crates in front of a store. They were in a small town market buying the supplies they would need for the weekend.
"Uh-huh?" Kaji felt a bit uncomfortable. He had been pleased when Asuka and Shinji finally got together since Asuka no longer kept bothering him _for_ a relationship. Unfortunately, now the girl was bugging him _about_ a relationship. ::Stupid kids.::
"So, during all the time you spent together, swimming never came up?" Ritsuko broke in as she brought up their basket which was full of fruits, vegetables, and by Misato's request - beer.
"I - uh ---" Asuka's eyes became tiny points. What did they talk about when they were together?
***
HER CIRCUMSTANCE
[Asuka's voice : What do we talk about? Weeelll... we talk about school... ]
Shinji and Asuka walked along the school corridors. They seem to be talking softly, smiles on their faces. Then as the number of other students began to diminish, they began to hold hands. It does not take long for Asuka to have Shinji against the wall and kissing him fiercely --- [fade to black]
[Asuka's voice : er... bad example. Hmm, we talk about work...]
Asuka and Shinji on a catwalk over Unit 01. Both are wearing their skintight plugsuits. Shinji was saying something to Asuka, a serious expression on his face. Asuka simply looks at him with a predatory look. OK. So it was not simply looking. In a moment, Asuka has Shinji against the railing--- [fade to black]
[Asuka's voice : Ah! I know! We talk at home about...]
Shinji and Asuka slide open the front door. Then --- [fade to black]
***
"AAEEIII!!!" Asuka screamed in frustration, her hands try to cover her burning cheeks. It was an epiphany of sorts. Since being his and hers, they've never had a decent conversation. Someone was rather desperate for intimacy and it sure as Hell wasn't Shinji!
The two adults in the car's front and driver's seats glanced at each other. Each thought the same thing - ::Great. She's finally out of it.::
"Damn it! We can only talk if we're with other people! But we can't talk about personal stuff if we're with---"
"Hold it! Pilot, what _do_ you do when you're alone?" Ritsuko had a serious face when she turned toward the girl in the back seat. She found the girl's red face very incriminating.
"We haven't really... y'know... but it's not... just... "
::Something I'd rather not hear from a schoolgirl - a discussion of her sex life,:: Kaji thought as he tried to ignore the sputtering teenager. But he had to admit it was quite entertaining to hear the girl flustered for once.
"Enough, Asuka," Ritsuko said as she massaged the bridge of her nose. Asuka ducked her head and got really quiet. "Kaji---"
"Hey! Don't look at me! Misato's their guardian, she should talk to them. Hell, maybe she could talk to all the kids," Kaji said with a grin.
"We only need her to talk with Asuka and Shinji," Ritsuko really didn't feel like having this argument. She came with the others because she thought a few days at the beach would be relaxing - just like the old days. If she knew she would have to deal with hormone-crazed teenagers she would have stayed at home and catalogued her collection of cat figurines. Dealing with hormone-crazed teenagers was something she already went through at college.
"But it would be fun to watch," Kaji explained.
A manic smile formed on Ritsuko's face.
***
HIS CIRCUMSTANCE
[Flashback]
[Shinji's Voice: I guess it happened when I was about two...]
Shinji at the beach. He is still in the toddler stage. A bright, amazed smile is on his face as he watched the surf. With a giggle, he raced the incoming surf back to the dry sands. He jumped in joy as he won against the sea. He then ran back to the edge of the water and waited for the next wave to come in.
A Man's Voice: [nervously] Shinji, be careful.
A Woman's Voice: [laughing] You worry too much.
Shinji saw the next wave coming in - it's a big one. With a happy, expectant shout, he waited for the race to start. The little boy turns on his heels to run but he tripped on his own feet and fell under the wave. He screamed in terror as succeeding waves wash over him and pulls him out into the sea. He cannot touch the sand with his feet or hands no matter how much he strained. He began thrashing around, looking for something to touch as fear built within his small chest. Salty water pours into his mouth whenever he screamed for his parents. He can't breathe. Then ---
Father. Father's strong arms lifted him and held him, promising never to let him go again into the wet, stifling, salty waves.
A Man's Voice: It's all right Shinji.
A strong, almost suffocating embrace.
A Woman's Voice: Shin-chan...
A soft, calming touch.
[Shinji's Voice: I've never learned to swim. I feel uncomfortable near large bodies of water. And... Now I remember. Now I remember why I cried so much when Father left...]
[fade to black]
***
Hikari came out of the comfort room adjusting her suit. She froze as she saw Toji standing outside the door. Her breath caught in her chest, her heart stopped beating. He was dressed in jeans and a light white shirt. He looked at her with impassive eyes.
She felt vulnerable in the swim suit she wore. Defenseless. Naked.
His mouth opened but no sound came out. Toji looked away and turned around. He left the house.
Hikari choked back a sob.
***
"OK, look Asuka, communication is important in a relationship," Ritsuko said as she re-applied her lip gloss. "If you just rely on sex, you'll probably end up like Misato and Kaji---"
"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU?! SHINJI AND I HAVEN'T HAD SEX YET!!!"
"yet." Both adults deadpanned.
"Well- uh-"
"Asuka, take it from someone who knows. Get your relationship in order before you do the deed." Kaji smiled paternally at the girl in the rearview mirror.
"Or else you'll be too busy to talk," Ritsuko smirked pointedly at Kaji. She turned to Asuka, the same manic smile was still on her face after almost an hour. "Did you know that they skipped a whole week of college just to---"
"Hey! After that week..." Kaji glanced back at the rearview mirror, Asuka had a disgusted look on her face. "Hey, why that look Schoolgirl?"
"You mean to say all you did during that week was to have _SEX_?! You could have used the time to strengthen your relationship! Then you and Misato didn't have to spend the last eight years wondering what the HELL WENT WRONG!!!" She looked angrily at Kaji. "You disgust me!"
"God, I never thought I'll be told off by a kid," Kaji whined. He then grinned at Asuka. "As if you're not doing it right now with the kissy-touchy stuff you do with Shinji."
Asuka gasped and suddenly became meek.
"Touche," Ritsuko mumbled darkly. She was really having fun. Really. "Asuka, have you talked to Shinji since the incident?"
Asuka looked sulkily out the window. "no."
"Eh? Why not?" Ritsuko asked, "I would have thought that a relationships _expert_ like you would have known that that would have been the best course."
***
HER CIRCUMSTANCE
[Flashback]
[Asuka's Voice: After pushing Shinji into the pool, I went to the locker room to change. [sigh] OK. So I went there to cry. Baka-Shinji. I really hate crying and he's the only guy I ever cried for.]
The locker room doors slam open as a familiar redhead burst in. Asuka runs to her locker, gets her towel and cries into it. "Stupid Shinji... Insensitive... little prick."
[Asuka's Voice: Of course, not that he's little, because I know he's--- er, never mind what I just said. So, there I was feeling sorry for myself when _She_ came to talk to me.]
Rei enters the locker room. The doors are nearly taken off their hinges as Rei steps in. Asuka looks up in surprise at Rei's uncharacteristic entrance. The girl usually just materializes inside a room - she never barges in. Rei looks at Asuka in contempt - a look that is unusual on the girl's face. Unlike Asuka, Rei is wearing the school uniform instead of a bathing suit. Also unlike Asuka, Rei is sopping wet.
Rei narrows her eyes. "You."
[Asuka's Voice: Trust me. Never get Rei angry. That one word probably contained more emotion than I've ever heard from Rei... It was actually scary.]
Focus on Rei's hand. It clenches and unclenches, just like Shinji's would when he's under a lot of stress.
"Shinji could have drowned."
Asuka growls as the name of the boy who hurt her came up. "SHUT UP!!! I DON'T NEED YOUR SHIT RIGHT NOW!!! AND HOW THE HELL CAN HE DROWN IN SIX FEET OF WATER?!"
Rei calmed down. Not because she suddenly realized that the water's depth meant that Shinji was only about ten inches away from the surface. No. Rei is much more complex than that.
"he does not know how to swim."
Slowly, a horrified expression forms on Asuka's face. With a satisfied glare, Rei executes an about-face and calmly walks out of the locker room.
[Asuka's Voice: (whispering) I wished that Rei slapped me then. I'm sure it would have hurt a lot less.]
[fade to black]
***
To Be Continued...
Treading Water
An Evangelion Fanfiction
Version 2 02/03/2002
project start 05/10/2001
***
Neon Genesis Evangelion created by, registered, and copyrighted to GAINAX Project EVA, Movic, and any other company and/or division associated with
the creation and/or production of Neon Genesis Evangelion. A.D.Vision
holds the copyrights to the English version of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
This work of fiction is not intended for any commercial purposes but was created for the entertainment of the Author and Fans of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
No copyright infringement was in any way intended.
Treading Water written by Jino Turtlegod
Author's Notes: Hmm. Okay, this can be considered to be a sequel to "Red Rose, White Day" but reading that fic is not necessary to understand this one. I don't think I can really make a sequel worthy of RRWD so I didn't really put in mind that I'm writing a sequel as I wrote this one. Anyway, just think of this as a sequel to any fic where Shinji finally reveals his feelings to Asuka, and have fun.
PS: I would have titled this EVA Kare Kano but someone beat me to it.
Text Styles:
" text " - spoken
:: text :: - thought
% text % - sang
/ text / - electronically transmitted
[text] - computer text
TEXT - white text on black screen
_ text _ - stressed
* text * - sound effect
***
WAFF Warning! Discontinuity Warning! OOC Warning! All Standard Non-Lemon Warnings Apply! Minor Lime Content!
***
Part One: Drowning
***
Shinji Ikari, a young Japanese teenager with dark hair and dark blue eyes stood in front of the barbecue grill and tended the steaks, grilled vegetables, and the pots of soup and rice. He frowned slightly at his lot in life. Yes, a domesticated male as Asuka had once so derisively remarked. He knew something like this would happen when Misato planned the well earned vacation to this seaside villa.
Not that he was complaining.
It was a good day for the beach. In fact, due to the eternal summer of post-Second Impact Japan, four out of five days was a good day to hit the beach (it also meant that one out of five days it would be raining cats and dogs). Shinji had to admit that it was quite relaxing, even if he did have to do minor chores like cooking, cleaning up after meals, and looking after his own guardian.
He had the bright sun to warm him, the soft sand to cushion him, the cool wind to fan him, the song of the surf to lull him - it was really conducive to relaxing - a good thing if his stressful life was to be considered. All that he could really wish for now, was his SDAT player (which he forgot to pack) and a girl to share it with...
The Hedgehog blinked, ::Where did that come from?::
He sighed. Girl. Specifically, one with red hair, about five feet three inches tall... The one with the fiery personality. Damned good kisser...(not that he had anything for comparison) ::She's still avoiding me...::
Shinji was startled from his reverie by the sound of music. He frowned. Dancing music. He shuddered. Loud dancing music. Truth be told, Shinji hated dancing music. It was too loud and it kept giving him the desire to dance - something that Shinji didn't know how to do and therefore he hated for its potential for embarrassment. He looked at the source of the annoyance, knowing it to be the huge audio player that Lt. Aoba had been lugging around.
Instead of being annoyed, Shinji had a quirky smile on his face when he finally laid eyes on the audio player. Misato was in front of it and gyrating (yes, that's the right word for it) in her black strapless swimsuit. Shinji would have been ordinarily ashamed and embarrassed of his guardian, but what she was trying to do amused him to no bounds. As she was dancing, she was explaining to Rei the finer points of what she was doing. Rei stood impassively in her usual white swimsuit as she watched her dancing instructor. Shinji could see in the blue haired girl's eyes that she was just humoring the Major's order to learn how to dance.
Shinji decided not to complain about the music. If it was going to amuse Misato and keep her out of trouble, then so be it. As he returned to his cooking he glanced around the villa. It was a two story building built on a slope that had been shored up with boulders and concrete. A wooden deck extended from the house and across the slope on stilts. Lieutenants Hyuga and Ibuki were on the deck, sitting at a table that had one of those giant umbrellas stuck in the middle. A short stairway lead from the deck to the beach. A short way from the stairway was the pavilion where Lt. Aoba was taking a nap (heedless of the loud racket), Misato was teaching Rei how to dance, and Toji sulked. Beside the pavilion was the barbecue grill where Shinji had been volunteered to slave away. Hikari (in a neon green swimsuit) and Pen Pen were playing by the waterline. Shinji briefly wondered where Kensuke went off to.
Shinji looked back towards the house as he looked for his military-fanboy friend.
***
Maya and Makoto sat under the umbrella and looked out towards the sparkling sea.
Maya wore a button up shirt (which had all the buttons undone) over her black swim suit, and very short cut-off jeans.
"ne, Makoto, I know its strange to complain since this is a great place and all, but do you wonder why the Commander allowed all of us to take our vacations together? I mean he's not usually this generous and I personally think he's not a very nice person." Maya sighed. "I know I should try to be happy, but after everything that's happened..."
She looked up at her silent friend. "Makoto? Ne, Makoto?"
The pretty young bridge bunny leaned over towards Makoto and followed his line of sight. Where her eyes landed didn't make her happy. Maya frowned. "You jerk! You weren't even listening to me! You- you- PERVERT!!!"
Makoto blinked from his new position on the floor as Maya stomped off towards the pavilion. One moment he had been watching Misato dance, then the next moment he was on the floor with an aching cheek. "What the Hell just happened?"
***
Shinji sighed. He briefly wondered what happened on the deck but he was able to quickly shake off the feeling. It was none of his business if Lieutenant Ibuki wanted to slap Lieutenant Hyuga silly. It was probably a bridge bunny thing. Besides, being interested in other's personal lives had thrown his own into turmoil.
***
HIS CIRCUMSTANCE
[Flashback]
[Shinji's Voice: It started about a week ago...]
"OY!!! SHIN-CHAN!!!" Asuka waves happily at the dark haired boy from beside the school swimming pool. It was the end of the school term and their class had been assigned the task of cleaning the pool area. Asuka and several other female classmates all wore their school issue black swimsuits as they cleaned the pool.
"Um, hi, Asuka-chan," Shinji replied in his usual timid manner, his cheeks red as he gazed at the auburn beauty. Shinji had spent the morning cleaning the classroom with the rest of the class. He had taken off his school shirt and was just in his blue undershirt, black trousers and sneakers.
Shinji had just dumped the contents of the garbage pail into the school incinerator and was on his way back when Asuka called him. Like a moth drawn to fire, Shinji made his way to Asuka.
"ASUKA! Stop flirting with your boyfriend and get back to work!" Hikari cried out as she stomped over to her friend, the Class Rep shouldered her mop in a belligerent manner. This was uncharacteristic of the Class Rep, but she was hot, tired, and hungry. And she was---
"Yo, Shinji, stop talking to your girlfriend before Hikari sees you and chews both our asses of---" Toji trailed off as he saw the aforementioned girl stop in her tracks. He blushed and couldn't look straight at the freckled girl. Hikari frowned, gritted her teeth and turned about - and stomped back to the far end of the pool.
"Hikari..." Toji whispered as he threw a longing glance at the girl.
Shinji and Asuka could have sworn they felt the cold air between Hikari and Toji. Then, with a defeated slump of his shoulders, Toji trudged back to the classroom, dragging his garbage can with him.
"Weird. What was that all about?" Asuka asked the boy beside her.
"Um... er... maybe you should ask Hikari?" Shinji replied uneasily as he brought up the garbage can as a shield between himself and Asuka. His eyes darted to the sides as he began to look for a way out. He began inching back the way he came.
"Why ask her, when it's already clear that you know what's going on?" Asuka narrowed her eyes as she moved between Shinji and the only way out of the pool area. Shinji was acting very guilty about something and she would get to the bottom of this!
"I- I'm sorry Asuka. I- I can't." He eyed the pool behind him uncomfortably.
Asuka looked in astonishment at the boy before her. "Can't? CAN'T?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'CAN'T'?!"
Shinji looked around nervously, and sure enough, everyone except Hikari was looking at them. The Class Rep was too busy mopping the farthest end of the pool area.
"DAMN IT!!! I'M YOUR GIRLFRIEND!!!"
"A- Asuka, calm down." Shinji tried vainly to appease her. He was quite red at the attention he was receiving. It was like White Day all over again, when Asuka had marched to the front of the classroom after lunch and announced that they were an official couple and that she would personally tear to pieces anyone who dared make a pass at _her_ Shinji. The buzz that incident created had taken several weeks before dying down.
"CALM DOWN?! HOW THE FUCK CAN I CALM DOWN WHEN MY BOYFRIEND'S KEEPING SECRETS FROM ME?!?!"
This line finally made Hikari stop ignoring them and look sympathetically at Asuka.
"I can't. I promised I won't tell." Shinji had the determined look on his face and Asuka knew that she could shout all she wanted and it would accomplish nothing.
Asuka gritted her teeth in anger. She glared at Shinji. Then she was suddenly calm. Very calm. "This is your last chance..."
Shinji screwed his eyes shut. "I can't."
Silence as Asuka stared impassively at Shinji.
"Then I suggest that you reevaluate our relationship."
Shinji felt his heart break.
Then Asuka pushed him into the pool.
[Fade to black]
***
"Hi, Shinji," Maya smiled as she came up to the boy.
"Hi, Lt. Ibuki," Shinji smiled back in a sheepish manner.
"We're off duty, so call me Maya. I prefer it over Lt. Ibuki - makes me feel human," Maya took a cooking fork and began helping the boy grill the steaks. "Why don't I take over while you go for a swim?"
Shinji froze. "I - I'd rather not."
"Why?" Maya was beginning to relax at the delicious aroma of food.
"he can not swim," Rei said from behind Maya. Thankfully, Maya was already used to Rei so she managed not to scream in surprise. Rei wrinkled her nose at the smell of cooking steaks and turned to walk back towards the stereo.
"shinji, do you want to dance?" Rei turned to the boy.
That actually surprised Maya.
***
"It's not my fault he didn't know how to swim..." Asuka groused as she looked at the fruit crates in front of a store. They were in a small town market buying the supplies they would need for the weekend.
"Uh-huh?" Kaji felt a bit uncomfortable. He had been pleased when Asuka and Shinji finally got together since Asuka no longer kept bothering him _for_ a relationship. Unfortunately, now the girl was bugging him _about_ a relationship. ::Stupid kids.::
"So, during all the time you spent together, swimming never came up?" Ritsuko broke in as she brought up their basket which was full of fruits, vegetables, and by Misato's request - beer.
"I - uh ---" Asuka's eyes became tiny points. What did they talk about when they were together?
***
HER CIRCUMSTANCE
[Asuka's voice : What do we talk about? Weeelll... we talk about school... ]
Shinji and Asuka walked along the school corridors. They seem to be talking softly, smiles on their faces. Then as the number of other students began to diminish, they began to hold hands. It does not take long for Asuka to have Shinji against the wall and kissing him fiercely --- [fade to black]
[Asuka's voice : er... bad example. Hmm, we talk about work...]
Asuka and Shinji on a catwalk over Unit 01. Both are wearing their skintight plugsuits. Shinji was saying something to Asuka, a serious expression on his face. Asuka simply looks at him with a predatory look. OK. So it was not simply looking. In a moment, Asuka has Shinji against the railing--- [fade to black]
[Asuka's voice : Ah! I know! We talk at home about...]
Shinji and Asuka slide open the front door. Then --- [fade to black]
***
"AAEEIII!!!" Asuka screamed in frustration, her hands try to cover her burning cheeks. It was an epiphany of sorts. Since being his and hers, they've never had a decent conversation. Someone was rather desperate for intimacy and it sure as Hell wasn't Shinji!
The two adults in the car's front and driver's seats glanced at each other. Each thought the same thing - ::Great. She's finally out of it.::
"Damn it! We can only talk if we're with other people! But we can't talk about personal stuff if we're with---"
"Hold it! Pilot, what _do_ you do when you're alone?" Ritsuko had a serious face when she turned toward the girl in the back seat. She found the girl's red face very incriminating.
"We haven't really... y'know... but it's not... just... "
::Something I'd rather not hear from a schoolgirl - a discussion of her sex life,:: Kaji thought as he tried to ignore the sputtering teenager. But he had to admit it was quite entertaining to hear the girl flustered for once.
"Enough, Asuka," Ritsuko said as she massaged the bridge of her nose. Asuka ducked her head and got really quiet. "Kaji---"
"Hey! Don't look at me! Misato's their guardian, she should talk to them. Hell, maybe she could talk to all the kids," Kaji said with a grin.
"We only need her to talk with Asuka and Shinji," Ritsuko really didn't feel like having this argument. She came with the others because she thought a few days at the beach would be relaxing - just like the old days. If she knew she would have to deal with hormone-crazed teenagers she would have stayed at home and catalogued her collection of cat figurines. Dealing with hormone-crazed teenagers was something she already went through at college.
"But it would be fun to watch," Kaji explained.
A manic smile formed on Ritsuko's face.
***
HIS CIRCUMSTANCE
[Flashback]
[Shinji's Voice: I guess it happened when I was about two...]
Shinji at the beach. He is still in the toddler stage. A bright, amazed smile is on his face as he watched the surf. With a giggle, he raced the incoming surf back to the dry sands. He jumped in joy as he won against the sea. He then ran back to the edge of the water and waited for the next wave to come in.
A Man's Voice: [nervously] Shinji, be careful.
A Woman's Voice: [laughing] You worry too much.
Shinji saw the next wave coming in - it's a big one. With a happy, expectant shout, he waited for the race to start. The little boy turns on his heels to run but he tripped on his own feet and fell under the wave. He screamed in terror as succeeding waves wash over him and pulls him out into the sea. He cannot touch the sand with his feet or hands no matter how much he strained. He began thrashing around, looking for something to touch as fear built within his small chest. Salty water pours into his mouth whenever he screamed for his parents. He can't breathe. Then ---
Father. Father's strong arms lifted him and held him, promising never to let him go again into the wet, stifling, salty waves.
A Man's Voice: It's all right Shinji.
A strong, almost suffocating embrace.
A Woman's Voice: Shin-chan...
A soft, calming touch.
[Shinji's Voice: I've never learned to swim. I feel uncomfortable near large bodies of water. And... Now I remember. Now I remember why I cried so much when Father left...]
[fade to black]
***
Hikari came out of the comfort room adjusting her suit. She froze as she saw Toji standing outside the door. Her breath caught in her chest, her heart stopped beating. He was dressed in jeans and a light white shirt. He looked at her with impassive eyes.
She felt vulnerable in the swim suit she wore. Defenseless. Naked.
His mouth opened but no sound came out. Toji looked away and turned around. He left the house.
Hikari choked back a sob.
***
"OK, look Asuka, communication is important in a relationship," Ritsuko said as she re-applied her lip gloss. "If you just rely on sex, you'll probably end up like Misato and Kaji---"
"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU?! SHINJI AND I HAVEN'T HAD SEX YET!!!"
"yet." Both adults deadpanned.
"Well- uh-"
"Asuka, take it from someone who knows. Get your relationship in order before you do the deed." Kaji smiled paternally at the girl in the rearview mirror.
"Or else you'll be too busy to talk," Ritsuko smirked pointedly at Kaji. She turned to Asuka, the same manic smile was still on her face after almost an hour. "Did you know that they skipped a whole week of college just to---"
"Hey! After that week..." Kaji glanced back at the rearview mirror, Asuka had a disgusted look on her face. "Hey, why that look Schoolgirl?"
"You mean to say all you did during that week was to have _SEX_?! You could have used the time to strengthen your relationship! Then you and Misato didn't have to spend the last eight years wondering what the HELL WENT WRONG!!!" She looked angrily at Kaji. "You disgust me!"
"God, I never thought I'll be told off by a kid," Kaji whined. He then grinned at Asuka. "As if you're not doing it right now with the kissy-touchy stuff you do with Shinji."
Asuka gasped and suddenly became meek.
"Touche," Ritsuko mumbled darkly. She was really having fun. Really. "Asuka, have you talked to Shinji since the incident?"
Asuka looked sulkily out the window. "no."
"Eh? Why not?" Ritsuko asked, "I would have thought that a relationships _expert_ like you would have known that that would have been the best course."
***
HER CIRCUMSTANCE
[Flashback]
[Asuka's Voice: After pushing Shinji into the pool, I went to the locker room to change. [sigh] OK. So I went there to cry. Baka-Shinji. I really hate crying and he's the only guy I ever cried for.]
The locker room doors slam open as a familiar redhead burst in. Asuka runs to her locker, gets her towel and cries into it. "Stupid Shinji... Insensitive... little prick."
[Asuka's Voice: Of course, not that he's little, because I know he's--- er, never mind what I just said. So, there I was feeling sorry for myself when _She_ came to talk to me.]
Rei enters the locker room. The doors are nearly taken off their hinges as Rei steps in. Asuka looks up in surprise at Rei's uncharacteristic entrance. The girl usually just materializes inside a room - she never barges in. Rei looks at Asuka in contempt - a look that is unusual on the girl's face. Unlike Asuka, Rei is wearing the school uniform instead of a bathing suit. Also unlike Asuka, Rei is sopping wet.
Rei narrows her eyes. "You."
[Asuka's Voice: Trust me. Never get Rei angry. That one word probably contained more emotion than I've ever heard from Rei... It was actually scary.]
Focus on Rei's hand. It clenches and unclenches, just like Shinji's would when he's under a lot of stress.
"Shinji could have drowned."
Asuka growls as the name of the boy who hurt her came up. "SHUT UP!!! I DON'T NEED YOUR SHIT RIGHT NOW!!! AND HOW THE HELL CAN HE DROWN IN SIX FEET OF WATER?!"
Rei calmed down. Not because she suddenly realized that the water's depth meant that Shinji was only about ten inches away from the surface. No. Rei is much more complex than that.
"he does not know how to swim."
Slowly, a horrified expression forms on Asuka's face. With a satisfied glare, Rei executes an about-face and calmly walks out of the locker room.
[Asuka's Voice: (whispering) I wished that Rei slapped me then. I'm sure it would have hurt a lot less.]
[fade to black]
***
To Be Continued...