A Quiet Diner
The steam tickled his trimmed nose hairs as he hunched over his cup of Joe; running his hand across his face, every which way. Even with the heat on, he felt compelled to keep his jacket on. He fucking hated the winter season.
The diner was always dead this time of night. The low hum of the light fixtures barely dominated the hushed TV mounted in the upper corner. The occasional clatter of the cooks washing utensils and prepping food for the next shift. He loved it. Periodically the white noise would dull to the point that his ears would produce a fake hum in a desperate attempt to intake noise. God he loved it. Peace through silence. He figured it must be great being an astronaut; Working in outer space, hearing nothing.
His fantasy was interrupted when the waiter dropped by to check up on the only customer. Quick chatter, the normal pleasantries of "No thank you" and "I'm doing just fine" and again he was left alone. Staring at his coffee as it cools off. He didn't even care for coffee all that much, I'm more of a tea guy he would say. The only downside to the diner is that they didn't serve hot tea; well they wouldn't bother warming up a batch of tea after it gets chilled really. In weather like this he needed something warm dripping down into his belly and he didn't have a mind to order a hot meal.
Eating takes up too much brain function he would say.
The small bells stringed to the top of the entry door clatter together as a person pushed it open. He hears the waiter greet the new customer and the patter of worn down shoes and the clacking of heels. When the two walked by his booth it stole his attention away from his coffee. Long red hair? That voice? Even it was for a second, when the lady turned to the waiter to give her order. No. Too many coincidences to brush off.
Quickly thinking of an off subject to kick off a conversation he approaches the redhead, who half-heartedly stares at the wall of pictures.
"Uh excuse me miss, do you have the time?"
"I don't."
Cold and quick to the point; One would think another highly decorated Eva pilot with blue hair would be sitting here instead. Regardless, up close he was able to identify the red head as an old comrade.
He tried for round 2.
"Did you see the fight last night?"
A soft frustrated sigh came before she started with "Look."
A single word was all she could muster when she turned and recognized the face trying to strike a chatter.
"Ketchums?"
She stands up slowly and they hug.
"Hey fire crotch, long time no see."
Ketchums quickly retrieves his warm cup and joins Asuka at her booth.
"Do you live around here?" Asuka started as Ash took a sip.
"No, I live further up state. I know the guy who owns the place and he gives me discounts on the food.
What about you? Why are you in the States?"
"Well, if I could tell you I would."
"Ah, the ole Super-Secret Agent deal. I get it."
The waiter approaches the booth with fresh coffee. Fills Asuka's cup and tops off Ketchums' as well. When the waiter offered ideas for meals both customers politely declined and instead got a fair tip from Asuka, with the orders "Leave the pot."
The two burned through their first cup as idle chit chat filled the booth. When Ash poured a second serving for each, he was taken aback when Asuka pulled out a pack of cigs from her inside dress jacket pocket. He places the pot down and leaves about an inch of space from his index finger and the cig cupped in Asuka's mouth (Which caught Asuka's attention).
"You smoke?" Ketchums pointed out.
Asuka removes the cig from her mouth before retorting "Don't get any ideas. I only smoke occasionally."
"The fact that you smoke at all though? When?"
"Since Misato had me appointed 2nd in Command. So about….what, 3 months ago?"
Ash leans against his side of the booth and burns the image of Asuka holding a cig into his brain cells. A health nut like her; who continuously works out in both strength and cardio, who could man handle all five in the diner including himself and still have the body of a model. Sucking on cancer sticks. NERV must really beat the shit out of you if it pushed her to hold a cig.
Asuka stops midway replacing the cig when she witnesses Ash pull a pack from his jacket as well. He fishes out a small match book and strikes a match. Igniting his cigarette he signals Asuka closer so the small flame on the stick could still catch her cigarette as well. He shakes out the flame and they each enjoy a slow drag. They look at each other exhale smoke and burst out laughing.
"I still can't see you smoking." Ash giggles.
"Well don't! Like I said I only smoke occasionally."
"You've ever done it in front of Shinji?"
"God no! I'd never hear the end of it! And I don't smoke ever when I'm home."
"Cause you don't have to. He calms your nerves."
Asuka scoffs and mutters something in German. Still, Ketchums noticed a faint smile when she gazed at her coffee.
"You know." Asuka started. "I still have that extra house back home."
"Can't speak German."
"Plenty of people speak English in Germany Ketchums. Besides German isn't hard to learn. Hell even Shinji can speak it."
"One day-Not now but soon. I'm almost done here anyways."
Asuka didn't pry. She knew Ketchums had his reasons for being here and he won't leave until everything is tied up. She respected that. And sure at times he can derail and get zero things accomplished over time, but he understands that when shit gets dire it was time to knuckle up. That's what made him a reliable ally, and…..friend, during the Divide.
Ketchums had another question in mind. Speaking about a blue haired lady. But he felt it was too fast. He didn't want to seem heartbroken still in front of his rival. He'd give it time. Drink some more. Then just lazily throw it out there.
Asuka knew what he was thinking, and calmly waited for the question.
Silence fell once again as the two drank and smoked. Ketchums counting the minutes and sips of coffee, Asuka pretending not to do the same and just leisurely enjoying a late night with an old friend.
The waiter checks up on them. Everything is fine they said. No we do not want anything to eat. Although as the waiter leaves, the idea of having a turkey bacon sandwich toasted sounded like a feast to Ketchums.
One of the cooks hikes up the volume on the TV as the boxing match came on. Manny Pacquiao was up for another title defense and it was against a rising star hailing from Russia. The cooks start taking bets on who was fated to knock the other out.
The loser had to close up shop by themselves.
Seeing as too much time had passed since the last word, Ketchums opened up with "You hungry yet?"
This pulled Asuka from her deep thought and she uttered with a sheepish, Huh?
Ketchums repeated his question.
"Oh" Asuka, now lucid "No, I'm not hungry"
"Not on a diet are you?"
She scoffs "Ha! Please, do you see me? I'm almost insulted by that line."
After so many years knowing yeah other, Ketchums learned the subtle difference between Asuka Angry Glare and Asuka Playful Glare. The latter was highly rare during the first year.
Quick jabs and short quips, playful insults and one-upmanship; A war between siblings that would last beyond Earth itself. Yet, unspoken rules are firmly in place between the two. What was permitted and what was not. Even during the first year after learning about each other, Asuka, to everyone's surprise, a lot of times restrained herself from going below the belt when arguing with Ketchums. The arguments themselves would pop up less as time and certain events transpired.
From strangers to siblings. (Although they would never admit that, Rivals United by Fate always sounded better in their ears)
Too much time has passed and Ketchums caught on that Asuka was waiting for him to ask. To hell with it, what's the worst that can happen?
Ketchums let out a deep sigh, which perked Asuka's ears. She waited attentively.
"So have you heard from her?" Ketchums asked.
"She moved back to Japan. Something about it would be easier to help with Misato rebuild NERV. Help it go legit I guess."
"Do you believe that?"
Asuka shrugs "I believe at least half of that is true."
They both pause to sip and drag. Ketchums continued the conversation.
"She hasn't said anything about me to you?"
"I would bring it up…..but she tries to say something and then trail off. If it makes you feel any better I think she's hurting just as you are."
He may never know for sure but it did help mend some of the pain. The idea of Rei still thinking about him. He figured it would never work out between them. She did improve in terms of social aspects. Began to talk more, laugh more, even retell events to Asuka after dates and travels to and fro Japan. Everybody figured Rei surrounded by friends and Ketchums especially just rubbed off on her.
Then suddenly, Rei reverted back to her old ways. Asuka had clues as to why this happened, but without Misato confirming any of her suspicions they were all just theories.
An uproar from the cooks when the champ got downed on the third round. It appears the match will continue but the minds of the audience might start shifting if the defender doesn't come back on the fourth round.
Ketchums didn't notice but he hadn't spoken a word to Asuka for a bit. The match had caught his eye and the conversation wasn't all too appeasing. Let alone easy to talk about. Still, he couldn't run even if he tried.
"She ever visits you?" Ketchums said as he returns to Asuka.
"Rei? No. She has called once a blue moon. She tries to act just like her old self when we talk on the phone."
"What do you mean 'try'"?
Asuka refills her cup and takes a light drag before answering.
"Just the way she talks it… it sounds forced. I don't know how to explain it really, but when she talks like she does it sounds like acting to me."
Information that couldn't hit harder if Asuka herself slugged Ketchums on the side of his head with a baseball bat. When Rei suddenly reverted to her old ways practically overnight, Ketchums always had the feeling that she was hiding something. From him. From everybody she ever trusted. He had to give it a try.
"Do you think Ritsuko might know something?"
Asuka was slightly stumped at Ketchums bringing up the old doctor of the past.
"Rei hates her, why would she know something?"
"Rei told me she had a medical condition back in the day that made her see Ritsuko daily. I mean Rei starts to pretend she is 5 years in the past and she fucks off to Japan."
Asuka was still for a bit. It's very rare The Great Asuka is ever trumped by something as trivial as remembering a prominent someone from the past that will answer a puzzle in the present. She kills her cigarette and pulls out her business card, writing firecly on the back of the card.
Ketchums receives the card and watches in befuddlement as Asuka pulls out her cellphone. Asuka looks to Ketchums.
"The address on the back of the card is my hotel. I need to make a few calls but I think I might be able to finally figure out what the hell is going on here. Come by in the morning, ask for me. By then I think I should have an answer for us."
"Thank you"
Asuka stopped to see a genuine smile on Ketchums. She knew this was an important ordeal to him.
"Well I do aim to please. Besides I'm doing this for myself too. I wanna know why all the secrecy."
Ketchums slides out of the booth to hug Asuka just before she leaves. She calls out back at Ketchums just before leaving.
"Don't forget to come by!"
Ketchums waved back and stared at his coffee. It was starting to get cold.