Rebuild of Evangelion: Trinity

by Barachiel

AU-Fic based on the Rebuild movies. It's six years after Third Impact was averted, and the Pilots have gone onto college. However, on Shinji's 20th birthday, a new threat arises to destroy the peace and security he's made for himself. Teases ShinjixRei and ShinjixAsuka, more to come.

Rebuld of Evangelion: Trinity by Barachiel

Author's Notes: First off, this is sort of an AU, set in the Rebuild of Evangelion world. Why, when that movie series isn't done yet? Mainly because the characters are less extremely damaged in the movies, thus its easier to move them in new yet still believable directions without some kind of magical handwave to undo the immense traumas they've all suffered.

Technically, it's not *really* an AU, at least not till Evangelion 3.0 and 4.0 come out and completely contradict some of my conclusions about the end of the series. Since that's virtually guaranteed, better to just go ahead and declare its AU-ness now. :)

Also, since RoE is fuzzy on dates, I'm going with the fanon calculation that the Evangelion 1.11 takes place in 2018. All dates proceed from there.

Music Notes: I dont' normally do this, but this fic contains two "musical numbers", and since you can't really *read* music beyond basic lyrics, I'm including a couple of links to the pieces in question on youtube for those who want to know what it is they're "listening" to.

Rei's song is of course, Fly Me to the Moon, by Frank Sinatra. If you want to hear it sung by Rei's voice actress, you can find it here. watch?v=xL5_SxtQRX8

Asuka's song is a cover of Lady Gaga's Bad Romance by Halestorm. No official music video exists for it, but if you want to hear their take, try watch?v=ZO7NN9w9Z_g

I don't normally use music in my works, but this scene came to me in a vision, and there's no way to make it work without some kind reference to the actual audio.

Chapter One - Bad Romance

It was the fall of 2024, and life was good, Ikari Shinji mused, as he smoothed out the dark purple dress shirt he'd chosen to don.

Well, as good as can be expected when the world was recovering for two near-Apocalypses in rapid succession. Third Impact was narrowly avoided thanks to NERV and the Evangelions, the pilots hailed as heroes by the survivors. His father, Gendo, was rotting in cell for his crimes, and while a few members of the cabal known as Seele had escaped justice, a UN task force led by Ryouji Kaji was tasked with bringing them in. Of the 12 confirmed members, only 4 still remained at large. Unfortunately, one of those was Lorenz Keel, the head of the secret cult.

A surge of annoyance flickered over the young man's face. He'd managed to go years without thinking of his father. Why today of all days?

Fortunately, his roommate broke Shinji's revelry before it could go too far.

"Yo, Shinji, you ready?" Suzahara Toji's head popped from around the corner.

"As ready as I'll ever be," his friend answered. Grabbing his dinner jacket, the two headed out to the front door, where their other roommate, Kensuke, waited impatiently. "Dude, we're gonna be late! It's your birthday party! We can't be late!"

"Why not?" Shinji replied with a grin. "It's not like they can start the party without me."

"Not if Asuka beat's us there," the two reminded him in unison. That took the wind out of the birthday boy's sails. If anyone would kick off a party without its guest of honor, it was Asuka Shikinami Langley.

"Alright, alright," he relented, as the trio stepped out into the hallway. Hailing a cab, they made their way to Karaoke 47, a small but upscale bar in one of the high rise towers of Tokyo-3. "I can't believe you guys are paying for all this."

"It's not too bad, when it's split five ways," Kensuke reminded him. "Besides, thanks to the Parliament letting you and the other pilots live rent-free, there's more to go around." As usual, bringing up the special treatment the Japanese government paid him and others made the meek young man blush.

Toji elbowed the bespectacled companion. "You know he doesn't like it when you bring that up. Count yourself lucky he asked for a place with as much space as he did."

"You're my friends," Shinji interrupted. "College isn't cheap. Getting a place for all of us made sense."

"I'm just thankful the Red Devil moved out to go live with the girls," the taller of the three muttered. The guards at the front checked their club passes then buzzed them in, and pointed to the express elevator that serviced the establishment.

The marble floors and pillars of the main entrance made for quite the first impression. Even Toji took a moment to marvel at the architecture as they made their way to the elevator.

"The girls needed their own place," Shinji reminded them, as he smothered the smirk before it manifested. "Besides, it *is* quieter without her around."

"So have you picked one yet?" Toji asked bluntly, to which Shinji smoothly retorted, "Have you proposed to Hikari-kun yet?" The two glanced at each other, and chuckled, while Aida shook his head.

"I don't know which of you is more irritating, the one who's been dating the same girl for over five years, or the one who's been waffling for just as long." Kensuke stepped into the elevator and held the door open while his friends boarded.. "Have you and Rei at least kissed?"

"He's probably too afraid Asuka would flay him alive if he did," Toji chuckled.

"Asuka's not interested in me, anymore," the other boy insisted, as he had for the last few years. There'd been a time, in their last year of high school, where the two had seemed like they were getting together, only to fall apart at the last minute. Out of the corner of her eye, Shinji caught his two compatriots rolling theirs. "Oh, so you haven't heard from Hikari about how she has a new boyfriend almost every week?"

The two boys clapped Shinji on his shoulders. "You're clueless," they replied in perfect sync.

"It's clear she's still hung up on you, and those guys are just her way of getting your attention," the young Mr. Aida began.

His oldest friend concluded with, "she's all but rubbing your nose in it, man. She wants you to see what you're missing out on."

The chime of the floors dinged ever upward. "She's past that. We *all* are," he pointed out. That night of catharsis, and ranting, and revelation shortly before the final battle six years ago, had begun a healing process all three pilots had been long overdue for. Combined with some state-sponsored therapy, and the pilots of Evangelion had managed to put many of their lingering issues behind them.

Well, that was the theory, anyway... As any good psychiatrist will tell you, there's no magic pill or single emotional wall that can be broken down that would fix all one's problems. Shinji was still naturally shy, Asuka was aggressive and competitive, and Rei was quiet and reserved. They were better balanced, more stable people now, but they'd always have their... quirks.

"What about Rei?" Kensuke inquired, leaning in conspiratorially. "You two spend an awful lot of time together."

They were only at the 23rd floor. How exactly was the elevator "express?" "We're just friends," Shinji snapped, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"So that's why she stays over some nights?"

The old Shinji would have leapt back, freaked out, and wailed his protests. The new Shinji just leaned forward to smack his head against the elevator wall. "It's not like that. Some nights we're working late on a project and she just wants to sleep over. It can be dangerous crossing the city late at night."

"And the problem with the futon in the main room is... what, exactly?" Toji pounced. "Or do you let all guests who crash over sleep in your room."

How many times did he have to defend this, he asked himself. Probably until *you* believe it too,his own worse voice answered. "It's comfortable, having someone close," he mumbled. He didn't have to see the other two smirk triumphantly to feel the smugness radiating from them. "It's not like that! We've done nothing...improper."

"Improper!" Kensuke shrieked. "For God's sake, Shinji, it's your twentieth birthday! You've saved the world! You're in college and working full time! It's not *improper* to have sex with someone you love!"

Shinji's cheeks were flushed crimson at the other man's outburst. Toji wasn't about to let up on him either, birthday or not. "I know you two were both freaked out by that whole thing with her being partially based on your mom. I was squicked out by it too, but all the doctors said, the Angel DNA she was spliced with makes her her own person. That and the other stuff That Bastard did to her. Genetically, she's closer to being your cousin, man. You need to let it go."

"I have!" he snapped.

"Have you?" FINALLY, the elevator slowed to a stop, and the doors opened. Outside, pacing the club's foyer, was Toji's girlfriend, Horaki Hikari. "There you are!" The lithe brunette student of Business Management rushed forward, pulling Shinji off the car. "It's all I've been able to do to keep Asuka in check!" Glancing back at the other two boys, she pointed them towards the main door. "You two, go tell Rei what to order for you. I need to speak to Shinji privately, first."

Without blinking, the two snapped off quick salutes to the lady. Hikari's furrowed brow relaxed as Toji flashed her a small, reassuring smile. Magically, a knot between her shoulder-blades relaxed of its own accord. When Asuka was on a tear, she needed all the moral support she could get. Taking the smaller guy by the arm, Toji led Kensuke towards the private room they'd rented for the affair, while Shinji stepped off to the side.

"What's the matter?" he asked, worriedly.

"Rei and Asuka... I can't take much more of this!" The former class rep tugged at the braid she'd worked her hair into. "They sound so nice and polite in tone, but if you *listen* to them, you'd swear they're going to claw their eyes out!"

Shinji couldn't help but smile just a bit at that. "You've lived with them for the last two years," he reminded her. "It's their way of bonding."

Hikari looked at him like he'd lost his damned mind. "Please tell me you're still not that naive." And then a revelation struck her. "You... *you* did this!" she waved her finger in his face, forcing the her friend to step back.

"I dont' know what you're talking about," he mumbled, hands raised in his own defense.

"Don't give me that! You helped Asuka find the perfect place, you kept telling us what a *great* idea it was to move in together! YOU! You set this up! You wanted me to play, play...," the freckled brunette gesticulated wildly, "CAT HERDER to your mini-harem!"

"Tha... that's insane," Shinji protested even as she backed him up against the wall. "Did I help? yes! But you're accusing me of intentionally throwing you three together just to get Asuka out of our apartment!"

Hikari's eyes narrowed. Exactly how much did Ikari Shinji take after his father? He was so mild, so unassuming, even now after all he'd been through... was it just a calculated act? Was he that cold-blooded?

No. Shinji was many things, but a heartless bastard wasn't one of them.

But that didn't preclude him from being a skilled manipulator. Could he be doing it without even being aware of it? Gods, that was even crazier! That one of the nicest guys she'd ever met was such an instinctive chessmaster that he was playing games with their lives without even meaning to! No, it had to be crazy. It... just had to. The alternative cast the painfully awkward young man in a decidedly more unnerving light.

The business major pushed those thoughts from her mind, but not before attaching a mental note to keep a closer eye on Mr. Ikari. Then she noticed that far off look taking shape in his eye, Hikari poked the young Ikarai hard in the chest. "Oh no you don't! This is your birthday party! All your friends are here, we've invited half your classmates to boot! No brooding!"

"I wasn't brooding!" Shinji exclaimed, jumping back a step.

"Brooding!" she exclaimed, waving her finger beneath his nose. "Look I don't know why you refuse to see the obvious, but if you don't wake up and see what's in front of you, you're going to lose it all!"

Shinji opened his mouth to protest, but the petite brunette cut him off. "You and Rei may like circling in a holding pattern, but it's driving poor Asuka nuts! If she tried any harder to get your eye, she'd be filming porn! As long as you two do this passive-aggressive 'we're just friends' dance, it leaves Asuka fuming, waiting to see what happens. And I'm guessing the fact that it wards off any other girls who might actually want to date you is an added bonus! You're running away again!"

"I am not," he snapped, pushing her hand away. His eyes narrowed as glared down at Hikari's freckled face. "I don't *do* that, not anymore."

"Then what *are* you doing? Please, tell me!" She threw a glance back at the frosted glass door where the party awaited, and Asuka was undoubtedly flirting shamelessly with every single male in the room.

"I'm... don't know," he finally admitted. "They're my closest friends in the world, they're my sisters, in every way but blood. I love them both... and if I pick one then I alienate the other. You saw what happened when I dated Mari freshman year. It just made things worse. I keep hoping... I keep hoping Asuka will meet a guy and move on."

The anger in Hikari's eyes faded somewhat. "And Rei?"

Laughter erupted from behind the waiting door. Amidst Asuka's raucous guffaw, the chime of Ayanami Rei's gentle laughter could still be picked out. It had taken some getting used to, Rei smiling, Rei laughing. As she came out of her shell and acclimated to a normal life, these things happened more frequently. In fact, it seemed almost as if the blue-haired girl deliberately held back just so she could enjoy the reactions of the others when she indulged. "She's happy," he muttered. "I'm happy. We don't want to question it. Why do we have to label it? What if we ruin it? We're friends with...," As he hesitated, Hikari's eyes went wide, finishing the sentence for him. Seeing the conclusion she was leaping to, he hastily added, "an almost familial bond. *Not* with benefits."

"Why not?" Hikari asked, threw up her hands in exasperation, much as Kensuke had done just minutes before. She wasn't one to advocate casual sex, but at this point, *any* change in the status quo would be an improvement. When Shinji didn't immediately answer, she did so for him. "Because it would make it real, wouldn't it? She wouldn't be your surrogate sister anymore, she'd be your lover." No reaction.

Hikari put her arms around Shinji's waist and hugged him. It was a privilege she and Misato shared, to be able to do so without drawing the ire of Fire and Ice, as Colonel Katsuragi called them in private. In a way, it lended credence to her theory that he'd intentionally engineered her current living arrangements, but it also eased the growing concern that he might be slowly becoming more like his father. Shinji still cared deeply about how others thought of him. He'd never hurt his friends, not even to save his life. He'd proven that the day he'd decided to let Unit-03 kill him rather than risk harming Asuka.

He slid an arm around her shoulder and hugged her back. "You're not the same frightened boy who came here all those years ago. You've become a strong man, but sometimes I think you forget that. You hate conflict and I think you do everything in your power to avoid it, whenever possible." Including using your friends as buffers and intermediaries, she added to herself. "It's only when you're back into a corner that you show your teeth."

Releasing him, she added a peck to the cheek. "No more lectures," she promised. "It's your 20th Birthday. Time to have fun."

Relieved to have that over with, Shinji offered her his arm as a proper gentleman, and was pleased to see her accept it. It would no doubt tweak Toji, and after all the hounding, it'd be good to get one up on him for a change. "What would we do without you, Hikari?"

"For one thing, you pilots probably would have killed each other in an orgy of bloodshed," she teased, then added thoughtfully. "Or maybe you would have just had the orgy. It's hard to tell some days."

"Hikari!" he exclaimed, with a looked of feigned shock. "You have been living with them too long."

"What, only Asuka gets to make inappropriate comments?" she grinned. Tonight was going to be one to remember, that was certain.

---

"Shinji! The birthday boy finally arrives!" The crowd of thirty or so college students went up in cheers. Hikari hadn't been kidding when she said they'd invited half his classmates.

All the Evangelion pilots were world famous, made both triumphant heroes and symbols of abuse of children by shadowy conspiracies. They evoked equal parts admiration and pity from the rest of the world. Tokyo-3 University was one of the few exceptions. Founded by a grant from the UN following the reorganization of NERV, the college was dedicated to provided affordable, quality education, with those from the Tokyo-3 area given significant financial aid. As so, many of their former high school classmates and other residents from the city who'd witnessed their trials firsthand gave treated them less like gods or fragile porcelain dolls, and more like local rock stars.

As such, everyone wanted to be their friend, but the Inner Circle of Toji, Kensuke, and Hikari kept the hangers-on and gold-diggers at bay. Still, there was no doubting their popularity, and if they'd allowed it, no doubt most of the campus would be trying to get into the party right now.

"Yo Ikari, you better not be trying to steal my girlfriend," Toji shouted, even as he walked over to hand a beer to his friend. Shinji had never developed a taste for the stuff the way Misato had, but it was a party. Nothing wrong with a few drinks. Besides, he reminded himself as he cast a glance at the elaborate stage, complete with lighting and effects, he'd need a little liquid courage for the evening's chief form of entertainment.

"Tempting," he kidded, even as Hikari moved from his arm to his friend's, "but I could never stand in the way of true love." The brunette blushed and hugged her boyfriend's arm as tightly as she could. Murmurs of appreciation made their way through the crowd. Ikari Shinji may have not have been the most successful ladies' man on campus, but every guy who got on his good side knew he made a great wingman.

Sauntering over next was Asuka. She was clad in a little red dress that did flattering things to her twenty-year old figure. Even after all these years, Shinji's heart skipped a beat at the sight of her. She put in a minimum of an hour a day at the gym, usually swimming or running. She did weights to keep up her muscle tone, but not so much as to move into body-builder territory. Her dedication showed in her legs and arms. The triple-layered satin of her dress did nothing to hide the finely chiseled curves of her stomach as it clung tightly to her body, nor did the drape of the all-too-brief skirt hide the fact that she was still front-runner for the best ass in all of Tokyo-3, bar none.

Many girls thought Asuka a narcissist, to work so hard on her body. Six years ago, they'd have been right. But now, the added attention was only a bonus. For Asuka, the time spent on exercise and physical training and grooming was just another aspect of being her best. Once, she had to be *the* best, but she'd learned the hard way that no one could be the absolute best at everything all the time. It was an impossible ideal which had made her miserable, the slightest failure hammering at her fragile sense of self-worth. Through Rei and Shinji she'd shifted her focus to a similar but far more attainable goal: to be the best Asuka Shikinami Langley possible. That was something no one could ever take away And in that, she'd found herself.

Unfortunately, it'd done little to lessen her ego. in fact, instead of a false bravado covering a veneer of self-loathing and rage, Asuka had become extremely self-possessed, eager to push her limits to their utmost. If she failed, it was only another challenge. No one kept Asuka down for long, a fact that dismayed her many boyfriends since coming to college. Despite her name, Asuka was half-American and did not hold to the same cultural mores as her Japanese classmates, a fact which seemed to earn her more suitors not less, at least till they realized exactly what it was they'd let themselves in for.

It was joked that Asuka would have been the most hated girl on campus, except her exes always seemed to move onto their new girlfriends with a profound respect and humility. Urban legend claimed more than a few had wept tears of joy to find a nice, quiet girl who just wanted them to spend time with them. Another even rumored that the girls of T3U would eagerly nudge prospective boyfriends toward the Red Devil, hoping she'd break them in for them before moving on to the next stallion.

"Happy Birthday, Baka Shinji," Asuka announced, throwing herself into a hug around him. A moment of panic took him for a moment, as he checked to make sure blood wasn't rushing to any inappropriate body parts. Finding himself more or less "at ease," Shinji returned her hug without fear of the infamous Shikinami Slap.

"For making me wait, you're going first tonight," she informed him before releasing her embrace. A drop of sweat began to form on the young Ikari's brow. First?

"As... birthday boy, Ikari-kun chooses the entertainment," came a gentle, yet scolding voice from behind Asuka.

Asuka's eyes narrowed at the challenge, but in the spirit of the evening, she decided to let it go. This was the usual opening gambit: start with a carefully worded jibe to put Asuka on the defensive. If she reacted with irritation, it made her the villain. No, she wouldn't give the other girl that minor victory. The auburn haired beauty had learned to play the long game.

Turning around, Asuka faced Rei, and half bowed her head, with a slightly mocking tilt to the side. "You're right, of course, as always, Rei." The sweet, faux-happy tone she used made Shinji's sweat. He'd just arrived, were they really going to start fencing so soon? Most of the student body thought the two girls, clearly opposite in almost every way, hated each other. The truth was far more complicated.

His worry evaporated when Asuka stepped aside long enough to give him a good look at the other girl. Rei had chosen a baby blue slip dress that fell to her knees, with a long slit up the side. Asuka and Hikari had been impressed by her racy choice of dress.. .up until the pale girl informed them the slit allowed her the freedom of leg movement to kick an attacker should someone overstep their bounds.

Really, Asuka had only herself to blame. She'd insisted Rei join her in her kickboxing class, and the fragile seeming girl had taken to it quite naturally. In fact, the other girl was her chief rival in kickboxing, swimming, and track. Once that would have frustrated her to the point of screaming and bratty tantrums. Now, Rei was just the challenge she needed to keep at it. For all their vitriol, theirs was a friendly rivalry. With one notable exception.

Her outfit wasn't as form-hugging as her fellow pilot's, nor was her figure as developed, but there was no denying the pale woman's innate exotic beauty, with her blue hair and red eyes. The years had filled out her hips and chest, though willowy she remained.

"I'm glad you made it, Ayanami-san," Shinji greeted.

The tiniest hint of a smile played on Rei's lips as she ducked in and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. "I had nowhere else to be, pilot Ikari." The two shared a look that made Asuka scowl. Somehow those two had this almost telepathic way of communicating that irritated her. Rather than succumb, though, it was time to get the party started, quite literally.

"Alright you two, you can check into a love hotel after we're done. First, we eat!" Again, the crowd roared, even as Shinji's cheeks turned a deep crimson.

"Do you have one to recommend," Rei asked plainly. The implication that Asuka would be able to hung in the air.

A tiny vein in the other girl's forehead bulged for a moment, and again, time for Shinji seemed to stop. "No, I'm afraid I don't'. Maybe I'll ask Hideaki if he knows any. You know how guys are."

"Is that your boyfriend?" Shinji asked, desperate to shift the subject.

"For now," Asuka shrugged, tossing a glance at a lanky young man with short cut dark hair and wire rim glasses. He had a slightly bookish look, but a wiry frame. Must have been on the track team, to get Asuka's attention. She didn't go for slobs or slackers. "I'll introduce you later. Right now, I'm hungry!"

Over the next two hours, food was served, drinks were had, and one by one, or in small groups, the party goers took to the stage to belt out hits new and old. Some were better than others, but everyone threw themselves into without shame or remorse. No matter how awful the singing, every song was a delight, even if only in how painfully bad it was.

After about 4 beers and a chaser of Sake, Shinji finally took the stage, but only on the condition that Toji and Kensuke go with him. Together they muddled their way through a few popular hits of the last few years. Alone, none of them were particularly gifted singers, but together they could harmonize well enough to not make total asses of themselves.

Hikari was the only one not to take the stage. She'd been banned from karaoke after a particularly painful rendition of "My Heart Will Go On," that to this day Toji claimed had struck him deaf in one ear for a week.

As the night wore on into the early morning, the few holdouts (barring Hikari) were being egged on by the rest to take their turn. One of the last was Rei, who almost always had to be gently urged to go, even though she had a splendid voice. And as usual, it was Asuka who did the pushing.

"Come on, Wondergirl, we've all had a turn. Time to man up," she teased, waggling her half empty beer can in the girl's face.

"I'm not a man," the other woman replied coolly. Before Asuka could offer up a rejoinder, Rei stood and made her way on stage. Those who hadn't passed out quieted up as the T3U Ice Queen scrolled through the selections, unable to decide on a song.

"Oh just *pick* one," Asuka snapped. That earned her a smack on the shoulder for Hikari, but she didn't care. Wonder girl was stalling.

"As you wish," Rei replied, and selected the next song she saw. The sound of strings and a simple drum began to play. Shinji sat up in surprise, having recognized the song as a favorite of his mother's from when he was a young boy. It was a pre-Second Impact song made famous by an American lounge singer three quarters of a century ago.

It was one of his few memories of her, singing it to his father as they strolled through a park one night on the way home. It was the only positive memory he had associated with the man. When he was younger, he'd clung to it, hoping one day to see his father as his mother did. Now, he could only wonder if that man she'd sung her heart to had ever actually existed.

As Rei began to sing, she closed her eyes and bowed her head into the microphone.

Fly me to the moon, and let me play among the stars,
Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars.

In other words, hold my hand.
In other words, darling, kiss me.

Unlike the other performers, Rei didn't go in for bombastic stagemanship, or dancing. Instead, her lithe figure swayed gently to the music, as the sound of strings washed over her very being, and she gave herself to the song.

Fill my heart with song and let me sing forevermore.
You are all I long for, all i worship and adore.
In other words, please be true.

As the final words slipped past her lips, her eyes opened. It was only a crack, but Shinj's cardiovascular system spasmed as those two tiny hints of red met his own brown orbs.

In other words, I love you.

As the music ceased, the entire room was so quiet, they could have heard a crumb hit the floor. One by one, applause trickled from the crowd until the noise of it threatened to overwhelm the soundproofing. Rei gave the other guests a gentle smile and a single bow before descending from the stage.

Even Asuka was applauding. The auburn temptress was impressed with the girl's performance. Oh, not the song, but the cavalier way in which she'd made it seem like a casual selection. No, this had been deliberate. The hesitation, the last second choice; it was all an elaborate show, to make the obvious love song seem like pure coincidence. But Asuka knew better. Freed of the shackles of Ikari Gendo, Rei had shown tactical and analytical insight that bordered on the freakish.

She'd been set up.

How fortunate for her that she'd anticipated something along these lines. Rising to her feet, Asuka continued to applaud as Rei took her seat. "Great show, Wondergirl. But a little solemn to end an occasion like this. Shinji's a *man* now, twenty years old! His party should end with with a bang!' It was all Asuka could do not to gloat triumphantly as the other pilot's head tilted slightly to the side.

"One more song, guys, then we call it a night. Give me five." And with that, Asuka ran backstage. Karaoke-47 was a dedicated club, offering full lighting, stage effects, and even help with costuming for their customers. Asuka had been the one to book the club, and she'd taken full advantage of their services.

The minutes ticked passed, and Shinji looked to his friends, who just shrugged. No one knew what the Red Devil had planned, and deep in their stomachs, a pit of fear began to eat away at them. Years of experience had taught them, when Asuka dedicated herself to something, there was little she wouldn't do to achieve her goal.

Finally, a hard bass beat kicked in followed by an electric guitar. As half-American, Asuka liked to keep an eye on their music scene, and one of her more recent boyfriends had introduced her to a band who'd taken to remaking music recorded around the time of the Second Impact that hadn't seen release due to the cataclysm. One song in particular had caught her fancy, and she'd waited *months* to unveil it, just for tonight

As the beat increased, Asuka Shikinami Langley walked out on stage, and the collective jaw drops was reported to have registered on seismometers as far away as Tokyo-2. She'd traded her dress for something out of an old American movie: For a top, she wore a torn red tank top that clearly displayed the perfectly chiseled abs the dress had only hinted at before. There were also few strategically placed holes that showed she was *not* wearing a bra beneath it. Just below that were a pair of cut off denim shorts that failed to obscure the curve of her rear as it peeked out from beneath the frayed blue material. Finishing the ensemble was a pair of motorcycle boots that climbed to a few inches below her knee. The leggy auburn she-devil strutted down the stage as she practically made love to the mike i her hand.

I want your ugly
I want your disease
I want your everything
As long as it's free
I want your love
love love love
I want your love

Even those among the audience who'd passed out quickly revived. Man and woman alike seemed to stare agape at the former Evangelion pilot as she made her way to the end of the stage and hopped down.

I want your drama
The touch of your hand
I want your leather-studded kiss in the sand
I want your love
love love love
I want your love, I want your love, I want your love

As she repeated the mantra of the song over and over, her voice dropped to a low purr that tickled at the spine of every person to whom "female" was an attractive gender. Sashaying her hips, Asuka made her way through the crowd, starting with her current boy toy, Hideaki. As her long legs wrapped around his, allowing her slide into lap. As the lyrics poured from her, she ran her hand down his face, drawing it to her, then pushing him away. The poor boy's brain suffered a critical meltdown, as she started to stalk the crowd once more.

You know that I want you
And you know that I need you
I want it bad, a bad romance

I want your love and
I want your revenge
You and me could write a bad romance
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh)
I want your love and
All your lovers' revenge
You and me could write a bad romance

As if a succubus of lore, Asuka made her way amongst the guests, brushing up against them, flashing them sultry looks. She was feeding off the repressed desire wafting over the crowd, and it was sweeter than any fruit she'd ever eaten. Not even the female partiers were immune, and more than few went home with reason to question their sexuality that night.

I want your horror
I want your design
'Cause you're a criminal
As long as you're mine
I want your love
love love love
I want your love, I want your love, I want your love

As the next verse came up, Asuka bent over the table shared for five of Shinji's engineering classmates. But the best view was aimed squarely at the unofficial couple sitting next to each other just a few feet away. While cradling the microphone, her free hand slid down, her half-bare back. It's journey continued down the curve of her rear. Purring out the thinly veiled sexual metaphor, the girl tugged at her denim cut-offs, giving her two closest friends a flash.

I want your psycho
Your vertigo stick
Want you in my rear window
Baby you're sick
I want your love
love love love
I want your love, I want your love, I want your love

Sudden nosebleeds drove a few of the more inebriated back into unconsciousness. For Ikari Shinji, his entire body locked up, afraid to move, to blink, to even breathe. His eyes were locked on his fellow savior, unable to process what was happening. It was like his mind was trying to burn the image of her like this into his mind's eye for the rest of time.

You know that I want you
And you know that I need you
I want your bad, your bad romance

Repeating the chorus again, this time the girl made her way past the other members of the Inner Circle. Despite years of wariness and fear, even Toji and Kensuke could not suppress the natural reactions of a near-perfect specimen of the female gender grinding up so close to them. Hikari was stunned beyond response that Asuka would vamp *her* boyfriend, but that shock was as nothing to when the other girl moved as if to kiss her next.

Young Hisako's breath caught in her throat, her head even tilted upward in an assuredly instinctive reaction. As she sung the next verse, it seemed as if it weren't meant for her. Asuka's hand traced the line of her cheek as their lips moved closer...

I want your love and
I want your revenge
I want your love
I don't wanna be friends

But nothing happened. Except for Toji fainting.

Hikari's eyes opened to find Asuka had gently slipped over one seat to Rei. The buxom girl perched herself in the blue-haired wonder's lap, and wrapped a hand around the back of her neck. Rei allowed herself to be pulled forward. Her crimson eyes were wide, and her lips parted a fraction of an inch. It was the first time in ages, she'd see Wondergirl look surprised.

This time Asuka made no pretense of an embrace, but stared straight into her friend's eyes as she shifted the language of the song from English to French. In response, Rei slid an arm around her fellow former pilot's waist, her hand resting on the small of Asuka's back. To the onlookers, it seemed as if the two girls were cradling each other.

Je veux ton amour
Et je veux ta revanche
Je veux ton amour
I don't wanna be friends
I don't wanna be friends
No I don't wanna be friends

Asuka started belting out the next lines, drawing them out sensuously as she slipped from Rei's lap over to the guest of honor. This time, nature spared him embarrassment by all the blood rushing from back to his head so his cheeks could turn an appropriate shade of crimson, as this goddess of violence and song made flesh laid her body against his.

Want your bad romance
Want your bad romance

Delicate fingers ran through Shinji's hair as the red goddess' lips neared his, separated only by the mike hovering between them. Suddenly, Shinji was reminded of the night he nearly stole a kiss from her as she laid beside him, only this time it was Asuka who was the aggressor.

I want your love and
I want your revenge
You and me could write a bad romance

I want your love and
All your lovers' revenge
You and me could write a bad romance

As the song climaxed, Asuka jumped to her feet, pulling the young man with her. The two stood practically nose-to-nose as the twenty-year old belted out with all her might and passion.

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh!
Caught in a bad romance
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh!
Caught in a bad romance
Want your bad romance!

And then it was over.

It took a moment for their audience to recover their breath. Shinji was too distracted by the girl in front of him, panting heavily from her exertion, her chest pressing into his with each intake of air. He could only stand their, jaw slack, as Asuka leaned in. She whispered, "Happy Birthday, you baka," the heat of her breath on his ear sending sparking sensations down his spine. And then she was gone, back on stage and bowing to the cheers and catcalls that had started without his awareness.

"Hope you enjoyed the show, everybody," the Red Devil teased. The guys all nodded and crowed their appreciation while the girls who weren't actively questioning their sexual orientation were glaring daggers at her. Asuka Shikinami Langley had never been more satisfied with herself, except for that one time, saving the world. As the crow hollered, video of the performance was being uploaded. In a matter of hours, it would be *the* trending topic for the next week.

Plopping back into his chair like a limp rag doll, Shinji looked to Rei, who was quietly applauding her friend's stellar performance. "What just happened?" he asked no one in particular.

"Asuka-san improved her game," she answered, still applauding, her eyes studying her friend and rival intently.

Why do I think you're not talking about her karaoke, Shinji thought to himself. The party officially over, the guests filtered out a few at a time. The Inner Circle each patted Shinji on the arms as they left. It was clear to everyone that not even Baka Shinji could live in denial over what just happened for long.

Hikari tossed in an "I *told* you so!" look on her way out the door. Nevermind she was clinging to Toji's arm, torn between wanting to murder her best friend and the sudden desire to make out with her. With any luck, Toji and she could find a way to release the pressure once they got back to her place.

Asuka let her her boytoy without another word. But the triumphant glance she tossed Shinji and Rei said all it needed to, really. As Rei stood to go, Shinji lept to his feet. "I'll walk you home," he offered, realizing it was nearly 3 am.

"That won't be necessary," Rei assured him. The brush off stung, and the just-turned-twenty-year-old struggled to regain his footing. He didn't want this night to end on a sour note.

"But I want to," he insisted, as he followed her.

Rei came to a dead stop in the middle of the doorway. Looking back at him, her cold stare softened and the tender smile she seemed to reserve just for him and the others shown through. "I would like that, Ikari-kun. But there's been enough excitement for one evening. I'll be fine."

It took a moment for the subtle entendre to sink in, and Shinji couldn't help but laugh. The tension evaporated, and he relented. "See you at class, Ayanami-san?"

With a simple "yes," Rei stepped through the door and let it close behind her. Too wired to even think of sleeping, Shinji sat down while the bar's cleaning crew set about undoing the mess his birthday celebration had made. He stared out at the sky, as he pondered how his life was about to change.

A falling star streaked across the heavens, and closing his eyes, Shinji made a silent wish for the wisdom to deal with the challenges ahead. More than anything else, he didn't want to hurt his companions, his closest friends, the sisters of his heart. If he'd left his eyes open, the young Ikari would have witnessed a few more streaks in the sky.

Around the world, telescopes and satellites tracked seven meteors hitting earth's atmosphere, only instead of burning up they made soft landings throughout the world. In military offices around the world, calls were being made. In the home of one Colonel Katsuragi Misato, she was being awoken by a call she'd hoped never to receive.

And somewhere deep beneath Tokyo-2, in a windowless, featureless concrete slab of a prison cell, Ikari Gendo gazed up at the all-too-familiar ceiling, and smiled.

---

I had originally intended this to be just a short fic that teased the war for Shinji between college age versions of Asuka and Rei. "Bad Romance" by Halestorm came on over satellite radio just after I'd finished rewatching the original series, and the vision of a more confident and aggressive Asuka vamping an entire crowd just to mess with Shinji's head after Rei had all but sang her love for him, formed in my mind in an instant. Unfortunately, I was trapped at work, unable to write, and to keep the inspiration flowing, I started asking "Why?" What had changed them, How would they have adjusted to being civilians? Could they be better-adjusted and still be themselves? What would these emotionally stable characters be like? And it just spun out of control.

From there, I decided I wanted to write more than just a fluffy romance piece, and tried to conjure up a new threat that would escalate the drama, without undermining the series. And thus, the last few paragraphs were born. Something big is coming to Earth, and the destruction of the Angels have not gone unnoticed. The original children will be called back to fight, and as this happens, some of the skipped six years will fill in. I know how everything is going to end I just have to fill in the middle. I hope this little piece, the first work of fiction I've written in nearly a decade, hasn't been too painful to read. More is coming soon. Apparently, my muse has come back from sabbatical, and has developed a taste for pocky.