The Snow Dance
A deep white blanket had fallen over Tokyo-3. Slogging through the snow was one Shinji Ikari, walking home from school with his classmate and comrade, Asuka Langley Sohyru.
"I hate the snow," said Asuka, sourly. Shinji cringed a bit. "At least it doesn't snow as hard as it does in Sweden. I hate that place."
Earlier that day, Shinji had entered the school to see a bulletin posted up:
This Christmas, the school is hosting a Show Dance! Young couples are invited for free refreshments, dancing, and music!
The moment he read it, he glanced over at his crush, Asuka. She looked immaculate, with her long strawberry hair and perfect face.
The dreams he had about Asuka… He had never, ever told anyone about them. To him, she was everything he wished for, but he could not have. He had never made the slightest advance on her; he had kept his feelings silent. He had waited, for such a long time, for some sign that she felt the same towards him. The sign had never come. It seemed all he received from her was abuse.
He wondered, maybe, if that was how she hid her feelings. Or maybe she just hated him, he could not be sure.
But then he remembered what Ayanami had told him. She had told him that if he did not make his feelings known, nothing would ever change for him. If he did not tell Asuka, maybe she would never let down her defences…
So he was going to do it.
"Asuka-"
"What is it?" snapped Asuka. "I'm not in the mood for your whining!"
Maybe he'd do it when he got home.
-
Procrastination came naturally to Shinji. He had procrastinated the entire time he had been here. Staring at the TV blankly, he thought of what, precisely, he would say to Asuka. Would he go down on one knee? Would he try to hug her? Kiss her?
He didn't know.
He glanced at the clock. It was almost Christmas Eve…
He looked at Asuka. She sitting at the kitchen table, eating ramen with chopsticks, staring blankly into the little paper cup. Shinji sent an instant sense of longing. He blushed, thinking of a dream he had had about Asuka… how he had touched her, in that dream… He wanted to do it so badly he could barely hold it in…
It felt like all his inhibitions had been suddenly torn away from him. A newfound strength coursed through his veins. He would act. He would act now.
He stood, looking at Asuka intently.
"What is it?" she said, tiredly.
"Asuka." He took a deep breath. "Will you go to the Snow Dance with me?"
There was a silence.
Slowly, Asuka gathered up her chopsticks and walked towards him. They were standing face to face, staring directly into each other's faces.
"Shinji..."
"Asuka?" asked Shinji, puzzled.
"You piece of puke," she hissed.
Then, she jammed a chopstick directly into Shinji's eye. He fell to the ground, screaming as blood and ocular fluid gushed forth. The pain was destroying him; it was like nothing he had ever felt before. Asuka looked down at him, impassively. Misato burst in.
Shinji covered his ruined eye, whimpering for his mother.
"You piece of puke," repeated Asuka. "I hate you!"
"You did this?!" demanded Misato, in horror.
"I hate him!" shrieked Asuka. "I hate him, I hate him!"
"Why?!"
Asuka grinned, suddenly. "He's-trying-to-be-better-than-me! But I won't let him! I won't! I'm better than him! You hear, Shinji?! Not superior now, are you, you little snot!"
Fin.