She is crazy: she will readily accept this.

There was no way in hell, NO WAY IN HELL, this could be happening.

She was staring into his deep big blue eyes; she could only see those eyes; there was just nothing else to see; the fact she had, in true Asuka style, barged in, kicking open the door to the boy's lockers without even stopping to consider he might be taking a shower might be at fault.

She prayed to God almighty his hastily wrapped towel around his waist will not slip, she didn't want to see that (well, all right, maybe she was a little curious) and she most certainly didn't want to hit him; she wasn't worried about his well being, but the information brought forth by Hikari did made her reconsider her attitude towards him.

So, here she was, alone with him in the boy's locker room; mere inches away. She could faintly hear the water of the shower flowing, the slurping sounds the drain was making as it collected the water, flowing down the drain.

She could smell the crisp, clean smell of his soap. In true wimpy fashion, he had told Misato he was getting a rash after using the NERV approved soap which, she was pretty sure, was also used to clean the EVAs; The following morning he had a decent supply of liquid soap provided by section 6 and approved by Kaji, apparently, since it smelled similar to his (Of this she could attest; after numerous glomping, she knew Kaji's smell; she had also seen Shinji's label briefly and it looked like the one Kaji had at Misato for whenever he "stayed over for coffee")

"A-Asuka…" Shinji shifted again, and DAMN HIM he readjusted his towel which made Asuka turn down involuntarily, and somehow her eyes just refused to look up from his lean frame, glistening with the water and the soap and she could just see the beginning of the peach fuzz just under his bellybutton that she could just follow down to his cr-BADEYESBADEYESBADEYESBA-

His lips are moving, and she can hear sounds emanating from him, deep, rumbling sounds now that his voice has began changing and why couldn't she made them out? Was she going deaf? Had her brain ceased top function and erased all prior knowledge of Japanese? Was she going insane?

Apparently Shinji was thinking something along the same lines because he held his tower with his left hand, while he waved his right hand in front of her face, trying to gain some kind of response.

"Asuka…are you all right?"

"Shut up."

She must have said it louder or with more force than she had intended because he shuddered and took a step back.

At least she had more breathing room. Ok, Asuka concentrate on the task at han-NO! BAD BRAIN BAD ANALOGY she shook her head to get rid of all the happy, echi, hentai scenes playing in there (Damn you Misato!)

"W-what are you doing in the showers?" He asked as a frown marred his brows, scrunching them together.

"W-well I-" quick Asuka, think of something, anything! Oth-

"Why are looking like that?" He asked again, only this time there was concern in his eyes.

"Th-the thing is-" Damn you! Why do you have to be so good and gent-

"And can you turn around so I can change?"

Asuka opened and closed her mouth, left with no answer, so she simply nodded, closed her eyes and turned regally, trying to muster as much class and courage and just any kind of reaction natural to her to try and save face.

Fate, however is a weird and fickle lady.

As she spun around her heels, making her hair fly like a blanket made out of coppery gold silk threads, she stepped n some water mixed with soap, which in turn made her heel slide forwards instead of stopping, making her fall on her back.

As she was waiting for the pain to explode on her back she suddenly became aware of some things.

Shinji was agile and strong, otherwise she could never explain how he had so quickly grabbed her, catching her by her back, his face hovering in front of her.

Shinji smell good, he smelled like the early morning rain, like damp soil, a fragrant musky smell that felt masculine and clean at the same time, that suited him well.

Shinji was cute; boyishly cute; maybe a bit if androgynous, but the years had began to trim away the bay fat, to define his body into that of a growing man, his hands and feet were not too big for his frame, he was rather nice proportioned.

Shinji was currently holding her so close and the look in his eyes felt so deep and warm she felt like she was in one of those stupid scenes of a romantic comedy that-

That was it!

The reason why she had come, the reason why she was here! She had to talk to Shinji, to get his help into quenching the rumors (Which basically meant making him whine and bitch and say "It's not like that" at the same time with her) about their relationship.

Again.

And as he inched closer to her, and she shifted her face a bit, mirroring the slight parting of his lips, the deep breaths each one took and was holding inside, the semi-closed eyes, all conscious thoughts save a couple were blown before their lips touched.

There is just no way! This is not some dumb romantic comedy!

Followed closely by:

Damn you Hikari!

----- -----

Hikari Horaki felt at home being the class Representative for room 2-A of the Tokyo-3 Municipal System Central School.

She was aware that this position clashed with her social life (or lack thereof) and was also aware that it meant she was normally alienated from all the extra-school activities, such as parties, and mainly parties.

But she didn't care, she was never one to party, she never felt comfortable with the popular type, and she really never thought important morning conversation should be centered around which shampoo you use, what make up is best fro your skin complexion, and who was dating/doing/fooling around with who.

She especially didn't like being in the spotlight on any of those questions.

That all changed when she met one Asuka Langley Sohryu.

"C'mon Hikari, why don't you just accept you like that big dumb stooge?"

Hikari was looking everywhere but at the smirking redhead, trying to weasel her way out, until the cold hard realization hit her like a ton of bricks.

There was no way out for her.

----- -----

It had somehow started like this: Hikari had woken up, as per usual, early in the morning, ready to start with her morning routine which consisted on making breakfast and fixing the boxed lunches for both her father, her sisters and herself.

Only this morning, she packed an extra bento, carefully wrapping it in a cloth.

She had all the intention of giving it to someone.

A boy.

Namely, Tōji Suzuhara.

Of course the story of her life would be different if she had actually went thru with her plan.

What actually happened was that Hikari had walked purposely towards the front gates, she had among other responsibilities getting everything in her classroom ready before classes could start. As she mindlessly went thru the motions of checking the chalk supply, cleaning the erasers and black board. Checking the connections on the school issued laptops and giving the classroom a quick once over.

All to take her mind of what she planned to do once he crossed that door.

She would channel her inner Asuka, and stand her ground, not running away. She would mold her face like Rei's, an impassible mask on her features; not breaking into a stupid, idiotic grin if he accepted it, nor into childish wails and sobs if he rejected her.

She would try to be suave and charming and sophisticated like Kodama, while evoking the playfulness of Nozomi (And to a lesser extent of Tōji's little sister Mariko).

In short, she would try and call for all she had learned of all the girls in her life to show Tōji how much he meant to her.

Instead, as the school's halls echoed with the sound of the last chime of the bell, and the rest of students sluggishly filled the classrooms, she saw the absence of him; Kensuke Aida; Tōji's best friend and usual suspect and partner in crime, had walked in alone, which in itself was an occurrence, while Ayanami had materialized Literally; that girl was scary, she moves like a stalking cat, her breath is short and silent and sometimes it feels like she is carefully calculating the time and place to wipe humanity away. Or maybe she's just a punk-goth. But then why would she always be so composed and watching out the window if sh-

Hikari stopped her thought from dwelling to far into the anachronistic enigma bundled inside a riddle wrapped in an albino exterior that was Rei Ayanami, feeling the pangs of a headache forming on her forehead.

"Hurry up idiot! Run faster! Use those scrawny legs of yours!"

Running next and crashing into the classroom were, of course Asuka, followed closely by the breathless form of Shinji Ikari. If she didn't know any better, she could have swore those two were always late because they were constantly stopping and necking in the alleys and behind every tree in the parks on their way from the apartment they shared with their guardian towards the school.

"That was awfully close Ikari." A leering tone from the back of the classroom, where a group of the rowdiest boys in class were still enjoying the last minutes of liberty before cases could start began to snicker. "Did you miss time while she was suckling onto your-"

"I-it's not like th-" Shinji automatically began to answer in a humorless tone before the shrill tone of voice from Asuka cut in.

"WHO THE HELL SAID THAT!?" the red head bellowed, showing her trembling fist and angry scolw for everyone to see. "I'LL SHOW YOU SUCKLING MOTH-"

"ASUKA!"

Asuka looked at Hikari, and noticed the look of reproach on her face. Wisely she chose to slump on her chair and not utter another word.

"And you." Hikari turned to the group in the back. "Go to your seats, classes are about to start."

The fact that everyone was sure that was the real reason behind their daily lateness might have something to do with what she thought.

But she knew the reality behind it all, and if she didn't, she had to hand it to Asuka and Shinji; they really knew how to keep such a secret from everyone, including herself.

As she idly continued to observe the daily ruckus that were that pair, Asuka grumbling about stupid Baka never waking on time, while Shinji kept quiet, but she saw his lips forming silent grumbles (Something about her taking to long in the bath, and Hikari had to remind herself, again they weren't living in sin after all) She failed to notice Tōji hadn't showed up.

He had finally showed up, minutes later, handing the teacher a note, wordlessly making his way to his seat. Classes had gone smoothly and she waited for the bell that signaled the afternoon break. Hikari had to stay behind to pick up the printouts she had given the students the day before, and she could only watch in anguish as Tōji walked out, ignoring Kensuke, and Shinji.

"Hikari." Asuka called behind her. "Do we have any classes after break?"

"No." Hikari answered, her pigtails flailing as she shook her head. "Why?"

Asuka's smile made it obvious she was up to no good. "Then let's go have lunch out. Ditch school, play hooky." She said as she turned around, putting her books inside her leather carrier. "We can go to the mall, eat something then maybe watch a couple of movies."

"I-I guess…" she answered as she looked out the window, the wrapped boxed lunch clutched against her breast.

That's when she saw it.

Tōji was on top of the small hill that overlooked the school grounds, talking with Ayanami.

The only thing that brought her out of the shock was Asuka's yelling at her to go already, simultaneously grabbing her hand and leading her away.

----- -----

So now, here they were, sitting in a bench on one of the many cities overpass, staring out the setting sun, it's yellowish-orange hues coloring the sky, like a warm light bulb behind a white canvas reflecting the light. Hikari sighed gain, and Asuka rolled her eyes.

This had gone long enough.

"I'm sorry, Asuka." Hikari began as she sat, slumping against the bench, the sun coloring their skin and faces. "You always walk home with Ikari."

"Don't worry." Asuka said a she kept picking at the small box from the carryout place they had chosen to eat at. She clicked her chopsticks "I'm with Shinji as a duty, and I'm not in the mood to see his face now." She said with dejected forcefulness, trying to make Hikari believe it so hard, so painfully obvious, she failed in all accounts.

"Why don't you tell me what is wrong with you?" She suddenly asked Hikari, a sly smile on her face. "It's about Suzuhara, right?" She said as cheerfully as possible, but the distaste was obvious on her voice.

"C'mon Hikari, why don't you just accept you like that big dumb stooge?"

The shock on her face was quickly replaced by embarrassment. Hikari was never one who had grace under fire. Her drink slipped from her grasp, splashing against the ground and her skirt. Hikari began to wipe it with a spare napkin, muttering, or at least attempting to mutter an excuse while Asuka looked onto her.

"N-no…it's not like that." Hikari began, a bright red hue coloring her freckled cheeks.

"You're starting to sound like the Baka," Asuka said softly, as she slumped against the seat. The silence that followed was neither comfortable nor uncomfortable; it was one of thse silence when two persons pend time in introspection, not caring for the other one, or the passage of time; a single deep thought going around and around on their respective minds.

Finally, Hikari answered the question Asuka had left hanging minutes back.

"Yes. Can you tell?"

Asuka smiled a pathetic little smile, the kind one smiles to ones self, hoping no one would notice; the kind one wears when they inadvertently let something deep, something troublesome from themselves come to life.

The kind you share only with a good friend, a companion of sorrows, or someone stuck in the same boat as you.

"It's so easy to see it. Only those Three Stooges can't see it." She said as she leaned back, crossing her amrs at the base ofher neck for support, staring up into the dusking sky.

"W-well Ikari-kun is so…innocent..." She answered back, not really knowing what to say.

Asuka 's face scrunched into a frown, why was it the he was the only one that could elicit such responses from her? Love and hate all rolled together like one of those custard pies that English man from Nerv Germany seemed to love so much; like sweetness and spice and salt, and everything else rolled tgether; a bittersweet taste in her mouth and soul.

"He is the dumbest; such an idiot." She grumbled to herself. "He doesn't know how to get along with other people." She finished forcefully, before adding in a low whisper, almost as an after thought "Only with wondergirl."

"Really?" There was something…off in Hikari's voice, and Asuka couldn't help but turn towards her. Her eyes were stapled on the floor, her small hands baled into smaller fists, resting in her lap, atop her uniform skirt.

She looked like she was trying to be upset, but it was such an alien concept to her Hikari didn't know where to begin. Finally, she settled for simply stating, "Ayanami-san might be the girl Suzuhara likes."

Asuka's response was also conflictive, torn between a fledging happiness and shock and distaste. Ultimately she settled for anger, siding by her friend's side. "Suzuhara likes that honors student?" she asked in a hushed tone, disbelief clearly heard in her voice.

"They were getting along well at lunch time." And it was there that Hikari finally said To hell with it, turning to Asuka, despair in her face and eyes; the kind of despair only a 14 year old faced with the prospect that her crush could possibly, surely, not reciprocate her feelings could muster and feel.

Asuka never liked the stooge; he reminded her of herself if she had been a boy. If she had been a boy they might have been best friends or bitter rivals, but she wasn't. She was a girl, and he was a Stooge; a perverted, idiotic, brash and uncut stooge.

He was also the one who could always see thru her smokes and mirrors, who did have the potential of making the right call whenever it came to Shinji and Her, and that terrified her.

Asuka Langley Sohryu was deathly afraid of comforting the truth; the truth that she was not unique, that she was not the best.

The truth that she really didn't hate him as much as she pretended to.

"That girl knows how to get along with people about a ten thousandth as well as Shinji." She said after considering her answers; while she never liked the stooge; she really didn't like the doll, mainly because it brought back painful memories of what she could have become; of what her mother had become.

"Really?" the hope in Hikari's voice was enough to make Asuka forget about jocks and clones, and concentrate on making her friend feel better.

"Really!" she said to her, nodding, a smile adorning both Asuka's bright blue eyes and Hikari's freckled face. "Can I ask you a question?" Asuka asked after a minute, a pensive look on her face.

"What?"

"What do you see in that idiot?" Asuka asked, but really, it somehow felt like she was asking the question to herself, and not to Hikari; like she feared the answer she could get, and therefore preferred to accept Hikari's answer as her own.

"He's…kind..." Hikari said, blushing slightly, she had never had the chance to speak so openly, sofreely about boys and crushes; not with Kodama, not with anyone; she had never been the popular type.

She had always been the Class Representative for room 2-A. That was all she had known to be, that was all she had ever been.

"What?" Asuka's shocked answer made it apparent that was something she never expected to hear.

----- -----

The walk back to Misato's apartment had been horribly long for both girls; on one hand Asuka kept hounding Hikari about her choice for a budding love life; on the other Hikari was constantly pleading to Asuka to just let it go.

They were destined to a head on collision the likes of which would forever rock the foundations of the world as they know it.

"C'mon Asuka." Hikari began, blushing but clearly not willing to back down, the last stretch of the road, with the apartment complex coming into view felt like the last stretch in a 100 meter dash; she knew every step was making her come closer and closer, but somehow time made it seem so slow, like trudging thru amber, feeling herself be trapped in the brownish, crystalline tree sap.

"Don't give me that. He's just so good looking I can't help myself…"

Asuka kept quiet, but the look on her face clearly said You've gotta be kidding me.

That or Are you blind? Take your pick.

"He dresses like someone who jumped a hobo; what's the deal with the tracksuit and pants everyday?"

"H-he wore the school uniform the day we went to see your training with Ikari."

Asuka glared at her, clearly not accepting that as a point awarded to Suzuhara's fashion sense.

"H-he's so kind too!" Hikari blurted out. Still blushing, still fretting. "He is always talking about his little sister!" She nodded to herself.

The image in her mind of a gallant Tōji, dressed in a white, sparkling tracksuit, kneeling like a prince next to a smaller girl who oddly had the same face as him, only with elongated eyelashes flashed in Asuka's mind.

She shuddered at that.

"Ok, Hikari if you feel that way about that idiot, then I guess it is my duty to help you with him." She announced with the standard flair of Asuka Langley Sohryu, just short of stepping on the bench, hands in her waist, a picture of insolence and challenge for the world to see.

"No way, Asuka…I could never do that."

"What do you mean you could never do that?" Asuka screeched. "You simply go up to the boy and tell him you like him, it's easy."

"B-but I'm a girl, girls aren't supposed to do that."

"Well if you wait for him to come around, you're gonna end up in a nursing home eating baby food." She flipped her red hair. "My way is easiest."

"Really?" The tone of harsh disbelief was seeping on Hikari's voice like acid thru steel. "And I suppose you know this by personal experience."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh please Asuka." Hikari said as the red head pressed the button on the elevator to go up to her floor. "If you are giving me advise it should be on how to lose a guy in 10 days."

"Romantic comedies aren't my style." Asuka stuck her tongue at Hikari. "I can give you secrets to seduce him and make him wait on hand and foot for you." She said brightly. "Works on Baka everytime."

It was Hikari's turn to stare at the German Red head thru squinted eyes. Asuka looked at her, and smiled, accepting the unspoken challenge.

"Oooh Shinji." Asuka sing-songed in a bouncy tone, never taking her eyes from the giggling hikari. "Can I please have a glass of juice." She pouted like a five year old.

Nothing happened.

"Shinji?"

Again, silence was the only answer.

"HEY IDIOT I'M TALKIN TO YOU!!" Asuka screamed as she marched to his room. "GET YOUR SCRAWNY ASS OUT OF THERE AND-"

"He's not here." Hikari said calmly, picking a note form the table and reading it out loud. "Dear Asuka/Misato: I went to the arcades with Kensuke, will be back later. Shinji."

Hikari turned to smirk at Asuka. "Guess were gonna wait for that glass of juice."

"Shut up."

----- -----

"I don't get what the huge deal with these movies are." Asuka grumbled as she and Hikari laid on their stomachs, seeing a movie on the TV set. "The guys are always idiots, the girls are helpless bimbos, and it looks like a huge coincidence everything that happens to them both."

"The movies are made simply to show us how funny love is."

"There's nothing funny about love, Hikari." Asuka grumbled. "These are simple stories for simpler minds."

"It all depends on what your are seeing." Hikari said smiling softly as she saw the continuous misadventures of the male lead while he attempted to get the female lead to a secluded place and confess her love. "Sometimes these movies are reflected on real life."

"Oh please, Hikari." Asuka smirked, throwing popcorn at the hapless brunette. "Don't give that life imitates art imitates life bullcrap."

"It's true." Hikari smiled, throwing popcorn at the smiling redhead. "Check out your love life with Shinji and yo-ACCK"

"I do not have a love life with Shinji!" The red head laughed out loud, jumping the poor, defenseless pigtailed girl and aiming fir a tickling attack. "DIE!!"

"Ack-No!" Hikari said, in between smiles and pants for air. "Hehehe-I'm-hahahaha-"

"C'mon, suffer Horaki." Asuka smiled, her finger digging mercilessly at Hikari's side, eliciting squeals and laughter from her. "That will teach not to-ACKK!!"

In a surprise turn of events, Hikari had managed to turn on Asuka, putting her on the bottom, launching a counter attack.

"Now you will see the amazing power of the Horaki Technique of Tickles…Thousand Tickle Strike!!" Hikari laughed and screamed as her nimble fingers seemed to be everywhere at the same time on Asuka's most sensitive spots; her ribs, her armpits, her stomach.

After minutes of squealing from both girls as well the occasional laugh, they both ended breathing heavily, a thin coat of sweat on their body."

"That was fun." Hikari panted, gasping for air.

"Y-yeah…form her spot, Asuka let the last giggles run thru her body. "Where did you learn to tickle like that?" she asked a she got up, getting a couple of bottles of water from the fridge.

Hikari seated herself in a lotus position, palms together, looking like a Tibetan monk. "Ancient secret of Horaki." She said in a cheesy Chinese martial artist tone. "Big sister Kodama handed secret technique tome, I will train Little sister Nozomi in secret of Horaki technique once she reaches age."

"You're a dork." Asuka smiled again. This hours had been the nicest she have had in a long while; she had been able to let go, to be a girl.

To forget who she really was.

"Maybe." Hikari stuck her tongue. "But I'm the dork that knows how to get the boy."

"Oh really?" Asuka smirked. "Do tell."

Hikari smile, picking the case of the digital recording they had been watching. "Did you know this movie was based on the real life of the author?"

"Somehow I doubt all the misfortunes that happen in the film could happen in real life."

"You know, you remind me of the girl in the movie." She smirked, making Asuka strangle a gasp of surprise. "And the guy reminds me of Shi-"

"DON'T!" Asuka yelled, jumping after Hikari.

"what's the matter Asuka?" Hikari smirked. "Are you scared that I let everyone on the empty apartment know that you care about him?"

"The minute I start caring about that idiot is the minute I eat my panties."

"Hope you invest in a air of edible ones then."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Asuka please…" Hikari said matter-of-factly. "It's obvious you like him."

"You're wrong."

"You've got all the markings of it…it's just like the movies."

"Hikari…You are crazy if you think I'm in love with Shinji."

"Well, you certainly look the part."

"Oh really?" Asuka grumbled. She plopped down on the couch, tucking her legs under her knees, crossing her arms at chest height. "Then please enlighten me."

----- -----

AN. Yes! another atrocious fic by your truly. I really have no clue where this one will go, It just sort of came up while walking downtown and enjoying the souvenirs.

This is based loosely on Ryoma's BLP, though not as good nor as chapter or length driven. Will it be multi chapter? will I finish it? will it have the same fate of 10 things and 30 kisses? Sincerely, I don't know. but stick around, hope you enjoy it.