Chapter 01
12.18.2007
"What happened to Asuka!?" Ikari Shinji, still in his plugsuit, burst into the anteroom asking hoarsely. Misato-san had told him about the explosion in the girls' locker room during his synch test and he had run all the way from the Eva cages completely worried.
"She's okay, Shinji, calm down! She's not badly hurt. Just a few scratches and bruises and a major um..." Misato trailed off.
"A major what?" Shinji asked sharply. He knew that after all this was over, Misato was going to tease him mercilessly about his anxiety for the redhead. He'd bribe her later not to tell Asuka, a month's supply of beer should do the trick, but right now he didn't care. He needed to know she was fine! "Bruises and a what, Misato?"
"A major concussion. But she's alright, still unconscious, but Ritsuko said she's going to come around soo- "
Misato was cut off by a scream. A long and shrill scream courtesy of Asuka's very good lungs. It sounded as if the redhead was being tortured. She and Shinji hurried to Asuka's hospital room, Misato suddenly stopping short at the door so that Shinji ran into her. The sight she beheld made her jaw come unhinged.
Asuka was backed up in the farthest corner of the room, body half crouched and both hands held in front of her in a defensive pose. Her face was screwed up in a ferocious snarl. Quickly, Misato scanned the room for danger but there was only Ritsuko and a female orderly around.
"What happened?" She could feel Shinji behind her trying to look over her shoulder.
"Nothing, she just woke up, saw us and started screaming. Asuka!" Dr. Akagi turned to face the redhead, "What's wrong?" and started walking towards her.
Asuka's face promptly lost all expression and a cold look entered her eyes. She took one step back, curled both hands around a floor lamp and tensed, resuming her defensive stance.
"Ritsuko, I don't think you should get any closer," Misato remarked worriedly. "Asuka, it's okay, we're not going to hurt you." She moved slowly into the room and took out her radio; she needed to call for a trank gun. She had seen that cold look on Asuka's face before and knew that Asuka was feeling threatened. She realized that the present situation could easily evolve into something deadly.
"Misato-san, what are you doing? You're gonna use a tranquilizer gun on Asuka?"
"Something's wrong, Shinji, and we need to sedate her before somebody gets hurt. Stay outside!"
"But... won't Asuka..." Shinji pushed past Misato into the room, "hate it more if we... h-hey!" Misato, Ritsuko, and the female orderly watched in horror as the bristling redhead gave a quick yell and made a sudden beeline for Shinji, lamp held out threateningly.
Shinji stood rooted to the floor, eyes getting wider and wider as Asuka rushed towards him showing no signs of stopping. "This is it," he thought, eyeing the pointed ornamental tip of the lamp, "I'm gonna be skewered! Death by shish kebob at the hands of a deranged redhead! How pathetic!"
It was over in a flash and Shinji was surprised to find himself still standing, eyes tightly closed. He felt around his abdomen for something wet, warm and gushing and was relieved to find none. "Asuka stopped! Yeah, of course she'd never kill me, right? Right? What happened?" He gave a small sigh and cracked open an eyelid.
The room looked the same as it did a few seconds ago except that this time all three women in the room had identical looks of disbelief on their faces. For some reason it irritated the hell out of Shinji.
"What?!" he snapped, "Surprised I'm still alive?" They nodded their heads up and down, vigorously. He scowled, wondering why he was feeling so provoked. He looked around and realized he couldn't see Asuka. "Where is she?"
In perfect unison (Shinji half-suspected they had rehearsed it), the three women slowly pointed behind him. Yes, he could sense it now. Someone was standing right behind him! He felt a cold chill run down his exposed back. She was standing so close he could feel her warm breath blowing in his ear.
She was probably looking for a place to stick a knife, er - or a lamp. Eeek! He was going to die!
He almost jumped at the loud clatter behind him but still couldn't get himself to look behind. "It's coming!" Shinji braced himself, waiting for Asuka to strike. "I hope she makes it quick! Wait for it... wait... wait...Wait a darn minute!"
There was silence in the room while the three women watched to see how Shinji would react.
Wait! Blowing?
He shot the three a questioning look but they merely shrugged.
Asuka... was blowing in his ear?
Shinji was raking up enough courage to turn around when Asuka put her hands on his neck. And bit him.
"Ow! Let go of my ear!" It was just a gentle nip on the lobe so it didn't really hurt. Still, Shinji thought Asuka had no business giving him goose bumps in front of an interested audience. He quickly turned around to face the redhead fully prepared to face her mocking expression. "Asuka! Stop teas..." And instead he found her smiling gently up at him.
"Hooray, Shinji-kun! I didn't know you and Asuka had a relationship." Misato quipped, all smiles, now that the situation had been defused.
"We don't. Asuka..." Shinji looked at Asuka who was hugging his waist placidly. He wasn't sure what to say.
Ritsuko attempted another approach on the redhead but stopped when Asuka's eyes narrowed and turned chilly again. She had Misato try to approach too but only got the same results.
"It seems, Shinji-kun, that Asuka will let only you near her." Misato summed up dryly. "It seems she's not herself yet."
"That has got to be the worst understatement I've ever heard and you are enjoying this too much!" Shinji accused the woman. Then he turned to Ritsuko, "What's happening?"
"I would assume she hit her head harder than we thought. We should do some tests. I intended to but I didn't foresee that she'd be this erm... uncooperative."
"Translated it means you knew she'd give you a hard time but not like this, eh?" Misato was grinning ear to ear. "Shinji-kun, we have no choice."
Shinij groaned, "I've heard that from you two before. You're going to suggest something I can't refuse right?"
"Of course you can refuse. Although it seems you're the best one to do it." Ristuko replied.
Shinji glanced at Asuka. She hadn't said a single word or made a single sound since that mad yell earlier. She had his right hand and was studying it seriously.
"Shinji-kun," Misato looked gleefully at Asuka, then at Shinji, then at Asuka again, "You've got to baby-sit!"
A/N: This has probably been done before but, what the hey, it's fun and I felt like doing it! So enjoy! And if you find it in your heart to leave a little review, that would be nice, too.