Author's Note: I meant to post this on Valentine's Day, but some things got in the way and I couldn't, so here it is a couple days late. This is probably my favorite BR pairing and I'm pretty pleased with how this turned out, so I hope you all enjoy it!
Shinji had never woken up in this position before.
He opened his eyes, dazed, and they were immediately drawn to the girl lying next to him. Chisato appeared to still be asleep. Her eyes were closed, her lips slightly parted, and the rise and fall of her shoulders was slow and steady.
His memories of the previous night were still fuzzy, but Shinji was now alert enough to be surprised at his own position. One arm was draped over Chisato's slim figure, the other lying between them next to both of hers, and he realize that their legs were intertwined as well.
"Damn," he muttered to himself. This was certainly… different. As was the sudden thumping of his heart, but he did his best to ignore that, not wanting to think about what it might mean.
He absently stroked Chisato's long hair, which his hand had been resting on. She was different than most of the girls he knew — her face had a quality that suggested innocence, and that was only reinforced by her quiet nature. Shinji had now seen a new side of her, of course, but there was still something about this girl that stood out to him.
He noticed an eyelash on her cheek and brushed it away softly. She stirred, and he removed his hand quickly, not wanting to wake her. He didn't know what he would have to face when he did. Would she be angry? Guilty? Resentful? Would she regret the whole thing?
The last thought made Shinji sigh deeply, and he found himself dreading having to face a conscious Chisato. He wasn't sure why the idea bothered him so much, so he pushed the feeling away, deciding that he'd deal with that issue when he had to, and no sooner.
I'll just see if I can go back to sleep. There. A course of action that he could stick to. Form a plan and execute it — a routine he was familiar and comfortable with. He'd take that over dealing with emotions any day.
After he closed his eyes, he pulled Chisato just a tiny bit closer to him.
Of course, that meant he missed the small smile the gesture brought to her face.
Shinji wasn't the only one lying awake, after all.