My Immortal By Slavek of FreakProductions
Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion nor do I own any of the characters portrayed in this story, all are owned by Gainax, I am posting this story and not making any money from this. Etc. Etc.
Early evening in Tokyo-3, in the Katsuragi Apartment, it was silent except for the light music of My Immortal by a pre-2nd Impact Band called Evanescence. Even though the volume was fairly low, the song still filtered through from the bedroom of Shinji Ikari, 3rd Children and pilot of Evangelion unit 01, to the room of Asuka Langley Sohryu, 2nd Children and pilot of Eva unit 02.
Asuka was annoyed, as usual, at Shinji, this time it was for playing that depressing song AND placing the Damned Player on Repeat! But then there was rhythmic thumping and dragging noises coming from his room, True She Thinks to herself I must try to be nicer to him, he was waiting for me after my coma after all she remembered the day she awoke from her coma. As she stands, the song restarted again and the noises stopped. She moved up to hit the wall of Shinji's room, but, in a moment of second thought, she put her ear to the wall instead. She heard the light but unmistakable sound of stifled crying. what's he crying about she thought before shouting "Hey Baka, turn off that stupid song before I come in there and pound you"!! That caused the sniffling to stop but the music continued. That slightly angered Asuka, so she charged through her door and over to shinji's, ready to throw it open. She didn't, however, since she noticed something written over his 'Shinji's Lovely Suite' sign. As she took a moment to read the kanji, her eyes widened, all she read was 'goodbye, Misato and Asuka' "Scheisse"! She swore loudly, waking Misato, Whilst Tearing open his door saying "What are you..."
The scream reverberated around the apartment; Shinji is on a chair, under his empty light fixture, a length of rope tied from the fixture to his neck. Shinji looked at Asuka in shock, as she tried to move closer to him he said "Don't come any closer"! Shinji's voice echoed over the music in his dark room, Asuka paused part way thought the door, his voice frightened her, he sounded very serious.
During this, Misato, hearing the scream, had clambered out of her room gun raised. Upon seeing the commotion, her arm went limp and she dropped her weapon with a clatter, disturbing the relative silence in the room, the only noise after being the soft, sombre music.
For what seemed like hours Shinji stood on the edge of the chair, but never dropped. He broke the silence between them with a cold, painful "Why are you here"?
Inside, Asuka was churning, Why is he doing this?
What do I Care? I hate him
But I don't hate him
Really!?
Yes, I feel the total opposite of hate for him
Well Tell Him!!
I Can't
He will hurt me like mother did
No he won't, look at him!
Asuka looked up from her thoughts and looked at Shinji. She stared into his eyes, blue, dark blue almost black and lifeless. Her eyes lowered to look at his lips, the quivered with a fear only he knew. He was scared, scared of her! She took a tentative step forward.
"Asuka don..." began Shinji. He never finished because at that moment he tried to step away from her and off the chair. Screaming and gagging simultaneously he fell the length of the rope. Stopping mid-air with a 'snap'. The light fitting was luckily, very weak and as Asuka involuntarily raced forward to get Shinji lose, the whole fixture came away and Shinji dropped to the floor. When she reached him, Asuka pulled the rope from around his neck and, almost crying, held him closely. She shouted through the door "Misato! Get someone here NOW!! Shinji Needs Help"!! With that Misato ran to her phone, leaving Asuka to cry for the first time in years.
A pained Shinji reached up with his hand and brushed the tears from her eyes and asked "Why"? Before falling into the deep lagoon of unconsciousness. Asuka was tearing her mind open, searching for answers for the many questions that were flooding her. As she was about to crack, Misato entered the room with Ritsuko and a Nerv medical team in tow, who carefully removed him from the grasp of Asuka, placed him on a stretcher and took him to the safety of the Nerv medical facility. As Ritsuko passed she silently asked a question about Asuka. She was answered by a shrug from Misato, who also shook her head.
After the others had departed Misato asked Asuka "Asuka? What happened"?
"I don't know Misato" Replied a tearful Asuka "There was a message on shinji's door and the rest is a blur"! Misato moved to read the sign, unsure, she removed the plaque from the door and looked behind it "Asuka? Can you read this, my Germans kinda fuzzy"? She passed the sign to Asuka who read the message and wept over the five words which read 'Auf wedersehen Asuka mein leiben'
"Dammit" Sobbed Asuka "Why didn't he say something Misato"? The question surprised Misato who replied "I thought that was obvious"!
"What do you mean Misato" asked Asuka beginning to anger Misato "I mean that he was too scared to make a move on you since all you did around him was belittle him and beat him"!! Misato roared with anger. Asuka's legs buckled and the note fell from her hands with a clatter.
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Shinji awoke with a world of pain in his neck, his eyes slowly opened to see a hospital room, in front of him was a table, plates of eaten food were on the table, but what shocked him the most was Asuka. She was there by his bed, eyes closed in pained sleep, tears dropped slowly from her eyes onto his bed. He then saw what she was holding, his farewell note, and frowned. Why is she here?
why did she worry about me then?
Why didn't she let me die? It's all I deserve!
He tried to sit up and grunted loudly with the sudden sharp pain in his neck and flopped back onto his bed. The sudden movement woke up Asuka who looked blearily at Shinji for a few moments until she realised where she was, and who she was looking at. She shrieked with happiness and wrapped her arms around his chest, taking care to not touch his neck. Whilst Shinji was wondering why she did this Asuka had run out the room and could be heard shouting for Misato and his doctor.
Moments later, Asuka, Misato and the doctor walked into the room, Asuka was smiling, it was the first time Shinji had actually seen her smile at him, she looked beautiful, and Misato was giving him a relieved smile whilst the doctor checked notes on his pad and examined Shinji. "Well, other than the neck trouble, we've put on the brace for that by the way, he is fine, a bit depressed but that isn't my field, I'd say he can be out of here within the week" he said and walked out to his next patient.
"Why did you do that Shinji"? asked Misato breaking the silence "We both want to know why you did that" with that she walked over and gently hugged him "but I can wait to here that 'cos I really need to go report this I am your commanding officer after all" With that she walked out leaving Shinji alone with Asuka. For what seemed like ages they stood staring at each other until Asuka walked over and taking his head in her hands kissed him deeply. Shinji couldn't move at first, he was shocked at what Asuka was doing, but after a few moments the pain in his neck vanished and he wrapped his arms around her back he kissed her with as much vigour he could muster. When they broke, Shinji was speechless, Asuka merely smiled at him and winked. She turned around to see a speechless Rei, who walked in with a meal for Shinji, placed it on his bed and jerkily walked out. Shinji and Asuka shared a brief chuckle at Rei's actions but that was short lived when Asuka asked "Why did you do that back in the apartment"? Shinji looked perplexed, and answered "I don't really know, there are loads of reasons. One is my father, another is Rei, and finally you" Asuka Blinked "Me"? She asked "Yes, you. When I'm with you feel something that I haven't felt since mother left. Even though you hit me and belittle me I can't stop loving you for who you are, and I take it you found my note"? Asuka was shocked; she had expected as such but had never expected him to say it. Come on Asuka, if he can say it you can!! "Shinji. I'm Sorry" He frowned, but she smiled and his frown vanished "I'm sorry because I should have told you earlier that I, I love you to!! I just couldn't say anything because of my dumb pride" with that they met in a hug and their lips met in an explosion of emotion neither of them had ever felt before. Outside the door, Misato smiled as a single tear of joy dropped down her cheek, with that done she had a talk with the doctor about his release date and then walked to her car to wait to take the couple back to the apartment.
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Shinji and Asuka held each other in the car the whole way to their home, and once there they made a beeline to Shinji's room where they sat on his bed and talked about their pasts, their future and how to keep living together. "I would never leave you, Asuka, unless you wanted me to go"! Shinji Stated, holding one of Asuka's hands in both of his Asuka now spoke "We know each others pasts now, we have bared our souls and I have thrown away my scornful nature to be with you and I will never ask you to leave me"! With that, they leave the room and find Misato waiting in the living room "Well then? What's going on between you two then"? She asked. Asuka and Shinji smiled at each other and nodded, and slowly closed the gap between their lips and they both let out a contented sigh, leaving Misato in a shocked stupor. "Its going to be fun at school tomorrow" Stated Asuka Laughing, "Well its late" said Shinji "We should get some sleep" With that Asuka winked at him and they both went to their separate rooms to change into their bedclothes.
Later that night Shinji was still awake when Asuka knocked on his door "It's open" He whispered, Asuka walked in, it looked as if she had been crying Shinji noticed this and opened his bed covers to let her in. They cuddled up close and for the first time in ages they both slept peacefully, and when they were close to each other the nightmares of the world could not touch them.
As this is my first ever fic I would just like to say thanks:
Evanescence for giving me the inspiration for this story, and
My Pre-readers:
Kelly (a good friend of mine), and
Evil Eva of FreakProductions
Thank you all