"SAMPIP"
A Neon Genesis Evangelion Fanfic
By: Xenostriker (j.g.)
Disclaimer: Neon Genesis Evangelion is owned by the great (yet slightly disturbed) Hideaki Anno et al. Sampip is owned and copyrighted by the (deeply disturbed) band 'Parokya ni Edgar'. If I owned NGE Shinji would have a REAL life, Asuka wouldn't be such a pain, Gendo would be stepped on by Eva-01 and Rei would be with Shinji -.
(Asuka clonks the author on the head with a frying pan.)
OW! I WAS JUST KIDDING!!! Jeez...!
Author's Notes:
My first one-shot AND song fic. This was supposed to be an Anko/Noboru (of GTO) but the song fits the original angst couple of NGE so well that I ended up making a story about them. This will be set in the infamous Episode 15: THOSE WOMEN LONGED for the TOUCH of OTHER'S LIPS, and THUS INVITED THEIR KISSES and will be slightly A.U.
Oh yeah, I know there are probably a lot of similar fics containing this same theme so this may not seem so original. But I just wanted to do make at least one S x A (even if I AM, primarily, an S x R fan) and this is one of the most memorable scenes in NGE, so do forgive me if it seems lame.
And don't ask me what Sampip means- even if I am a Filipino I'm pretty sure there's no such word in our language. (My guess is it's from the sound of the first two syllables of the song).
"SAMPIP"[Some people love shoes
Of certain kinds
Some people love afternoons
Or the way the moon shines]
Shinji's POV:
"BAKA WHERE'S MY BREAKFAST?!" I hear my red-haired roommate say as I finished stacking a pile of pancakes.
'And so begins my typical morning,' I thought as I turned off the stove and brought the pancakes to the table.
At one side of the table sat our guardian Misato Katsuragi downing her usual dose of Yebisu in one swallow and giving her early morning cry. "YYEEAAH! THAT'S THE SPIRIT!!!"
"Ohayo! Misato-san," I said wincing a bit. Though I had gotten used to the sight of Misato drinking I still had a tough time adjusting to her early morning ritual.
"Ah, Ohayo! Shinji," she said with a satisfied smile.
At the other side was Asuka my roommate and fellow Eva Pilot looking like she could explode any minute as she usually does.
"Ohayo, Asuka-kun," I said to which she replies with a grunt.
I sat down and was about to eat when Pen-Pen tugged at my pants with his flipper. Looking down I saw he had a little problem opening his can of beer so I took it and punched a few holes on it with a butter knife.
"You look good today!" Misato said cheerily.
I looked at Asuka and I had to agree with Misato. She looked gorgeous today as she wore the dress that she had me press for her last night (though I would've happily had it pressed for her if she had asked me and not threatened me.) Then I remembered overhearing her taking to Hikari last night about going out on a date with someone or other.
'So that was why,' I thought, finally putting the pieces together. Some how this made my chest tighten but it disappeared when I heard Misato say: "Are you two planning on going out?"
Asuka nearly choked on her glass of orange juice and I blushed a beet red.
"OF COURSE NOT!!!" Asuka said, her face livid with anger. "WHY WOULD I WANT TO GO OUT WITH A BAKA-HENTAI LIKE THIS GUY?!"
[They may have a good reason
To feel the way they do
That's why I ask myself:
"What it is with you?"]
Asuka then began her usual rant about how much of a useless idiot I was and that she wouldn't even consider going out with me even if I did grow a spine.
I sighed, part of me was already used to this as I began to shut it out. Maybe I just didn't care anymore.
'Why should I?' I thought, 'everything she said about me is true and I really haven't done anything to discourage her from that train of thought.'
Still, it hurt hearing those words, especially when it came from her...
"You should finish your breakfast," I said, more to clear my thoughts than anything else. "I wouldn't want you to keep your date waiting."
She glared at me angrily, but I also saw something that looked like disappointment in her eyes.
Puzzled, I did the only thing I could think of, I apologized.
"Feh, I expected as much... Some help you are..."
'Sometimes I just don't get her,' I sighed. "If this bothers you so much why don't you just decline or something..."
"Say what?!" Asuka said, slamming her hand at the table, visibly annoyed. "If I do that Hikari will hate me you idiot!"
'Damn, I didn't mean to say that out loud.' "Sorry, I just thought..."
"Well you thought wrong," she interrupted angrily.
She finished her breakfast and stomped out of the apartment as I slumped back at my chair and sighed heavily.
Misato looked at me and patted my hand.
"Don't worry about it," she said sympathetically, "I'm sure she's just getting anxious about her date."
"If only it were as simple as that," I said. "Honestly, I think she even hates the thought of being in close proximity with me."
"Do you really think she hates you that much?" Misato asked between sips of beer.
[Is there something wrong ...
With the way I speak?]
I nodded my head, "Maybe it's just me or the way I talk, but every time I try to spark a decent conversation with her she winds up making a good impression of Amon Goeth.(1)"
[Do you even see me ...
When I pass you on the street?]
"And every time I meet her outside the house she either totally humiliates me or totally humiliates me by ignoring me."
[I close my eyes
And let it be
Because I just can't see
Why you love to hurt me]
"Listen, Shinji-kun," Misato said, putting down her beer for a moment, "I know it may be none of my business, but ..." She pauses, then grabs a plate of pancakes, pours syrup over them and begins sprinkling curry powder on top of it. She then looks at me seriously as she continued: "...what are you going to do about it?"
"You're not seriously gonna eat that are you?" I said, sweatdropping.
"And why not?! Everything tastes good with curry!(2)" Misato said as she takes a bite, "and don't try to change the subject Mr. Ikari. I mean seriously, what ARE you going to do about it?"
I closed my eyes and thought about it for a moment. 'What can I do about it? I'm just a pathetic loser with a loser's life. I'm only good at fighting angels and at spouting out sorry's and excuses. I'm just barely passing high school, and everybody's just nice to me because I'm an Eva Pilot. I can't even tell that bastard father of mine that he's an idiot- not that it matters to him since he doesn't really need me as a son. And the girl I like... only sees me as a bakayaro hentai... Even if I try to be nice to her all the time...'
"Shinji...?" Misato asked, the concern in her voice was enough to cut through my dark thoughts.
"Yes Misato?"
"I know you're upset about this but you don't have to take it out on the silverware."
I looked down at my hand and found that I had, unconsciously, bent the fork I'd been using. It was well out of shape and even if I did straighten it- it would still look a bit disfigured.
"Sorry," I said, pulling out my practiced apologetic smile.
Misato just sighed as she got up and finished her breakfast by shoving the rest of her pancakes in her mouth and washing it down with two more cans of Yebisu.
"Anyway, I'm leaving the keys with you since I've got a wedding to attend to so I might be late coming home. Are you going out today?"
"Yes," I said as I remembered what day it was. "The Commander will be picking me up later today."
"Your father?" Misato said stunned. "Knowing him it won't be anything personal."
"You're right," I said bitterly, "it's just a visit to my mothers grave."
[Some people love weekends
Because they can fool around
Some people love thunderstorms
Because of how the way the drops of rain fall down]
Asuka's POV:
'Damn that idiot!' I thought as I waited for Hikari and my blind date. But my anger wasn't directed at my best friend or the guy she's bringing along.
Rather it was directed to my fellow Eva Pilot.
Shinji Ikari - The Third Child.
'For some reason he always knows how to tick me off!' I thought as I tapped my foot impatiently. 'Today's Sunday and I should be having fun, yet here I am the most beautiful girl in all of Tokyo-3, angry and pissed off and I don't even know why!
'Why is it that? What is it about you that gets me so worked up?'
For a moment I thought about what he said earlier.
True enough, I could have just said no and Hikari would've understood me- since she was my best friend.... But two things prevented me from doing so: my pride and that baka's ironing skills.
The dress I wore today was one I had been reserving for a date with Kaji (though I knew that it was only a sweet fantasy that will never come true). It took me most of my allowance to buy and I had ordered for it to be dry cleaned but the cleaners only had enough time to had it laundered and not pressed.
Since menial labor was not exactly my forte I had to look for somebody to iron for me but had no such luck. But just when I thought I had a chance to back out Shinji-baka saw me with the dress. To save myself from a potentially embarrassing situation I had to 'convince' him to iron it for me.
So here I was, well dressed and without any excuse to back-out.
Not that I could back-out anyway - it was too late now.
The guy that Hikari set me up with would be here any minute now though he seems to be running a little late.
'Well if he is going to be late then he's gonna have to pay big time for making me wait!' I thought as I looked myself over.
I couldn't help but marvel at Shinji's handiwork, he really had a knack for cooking and housework. He even remembered to press and put in a set of hankies in my dress' pocket...
"Baka Shinji," I said to myself with a smile, 'you didn't have to go that far...'
I shook my head as I saw a mental image of Shinji smiling warmly at me.
'WHAT THE HELL AM I THINKING!?' I thought as somebody called my name.
"Miss Asuka Langley-Souryu?"
I turned and found a young boy slightly older than I was, with longish brown hair and fairly handsome features. He was dressed smartly and held a bouquet of roses in one hand.
"Konnichiwa! Watashi wa Kajima Sentaro, yorosh'ku! (Hello! I'm Kajima Sentaro, how do you do!)"
"You're a bit late," I stated, with a thin smile.
"Yeah! Sorry 'bout that... My coach made me practice a bit longer than usual," he explained.
"Ah, so des' ka? You're a jock?" I said, wincing. 'Hikari I told you I don't date jocks!'
"Yes I am!" he said with a broad smile. "You should see me play soccer... I can kick a football clear into the next field...!"
'I'd like to see you kick yourself into the next field...' I thought with a smile. "Shall we get going?"
"Oh yeah! If we get to the station fast we can get to the new amusement park in Tokyo-2 before the lines form up..."
"A-Amusement Park?"
[And they have their own reasons
Whatever they may be
That's why I think it's kind of funny
That you don't have one for me]
Two hours later I found myself up to my eyeballs in boredom.
Kajima had insisted we go see the freak show first and he laughed himself silly watching the worst dressed 'freaks' pull gags older than the Dead Sea Scrolls. Then he wanted to win me a stuffed toy at the shooting gallery, but since the idiot couldn't even hold the air rifle properly I wound up winning the toy (a couple of them actually) myself. He then tried to show off by winning against an arm wrestling machine and that only succeeded in proving to me that he was a meathead.
My only consolation was there was a stall that served real German food and I had him buy me all the wiener schnitzel, bratwurst and apple strudel I could eat.
"Aren't you finished yet?" Kajima asked impatiently, as I was chugging down a huge mug of root beer.
"Almost!" I said cheerily, desperately fighting the urge to throw the contents of the mug to his face. 'If Shinji were here I could at least...'
I winced at the thought. 'Now why did I suddenly think about that baka?!'
"C'mon, we'll try the giant octopus ride next!"
"Nah!" I said recovering quickly. "Too boring- let's try the roller coaster next!" I suggested.
"But the line for that is a bit long, don't you think?" he said lamely.
"Hey! Don't tell me you're gonna back out just cause the waiting is too long..." I said with a pout that I knew most boys found irresistible. "Or is there another reason why you don't wanna ride?"
"Ah- well..." he stammered. "...It's just that we won't be err... in close proximity..."
'So the truth comes out, finally...' I thought. He was just like the other guys who want to take advantage of me. If it wasn't for the fact that Hikari suggested him I would've decked the guy AND given him a couple of foul kicks that he'll never forget.
But a far better plan of vengeance had already formed in my mind and I gave him a look of glee that anyone who truly knew me would flee from...
First Phase: Attack his ego.
"OH, I GET IT! YOU'RE SCARED OF HEIGHTS!!!"
"I AM MOST CERTAINLY NOT!"
"Oh yeah? Why won't you ride with me then?"
"It's just that I've got this..."
"Excuses, excuses... Why don't you just admit it- Mr. Great Soccer player is afraid of a little altitude!"
"I TOLD YOU I'M NOT AFRAID OF HEIGHTS!!!" he said angrily.
"Then prove it," I said 'dangling bait' in front of him. "C'mon- one ride- that's all..."
"Oh, alright just one!"
'Hook, line and sinker!'
Second Phase: Re-acquaint him with physical pain!
I looked at the line and judged it to be three full hours before we could get a ride. I already had him buy a couple of balloons as well so his load would be a bit more embarrassing.
"Hey Sentaro-chan? Would you mind if I go to water closet?" I said giving him my trademark smile.
"Uh, yeah sure."
"Great!" I said giggling. 'Now for the Final Phase: Seal him to his fate!'
"I'll be right back!" I said with a wink.
I turned, then paused for effect, then turned back hugging him, and finally I gave him a teasing touch of my lips on his cheek: "Don't go away!"
He blushed and smiled at me weakly and stammered something that sounded like "I'll stay right here..."
After a few minutes I was already on the bus ride home.
As I sat there I began to think if there could be any guy who could like me yet not care that I was beautiful or smart.
I took out my hankie and wiped my lips hard, trying to get rid of the memory of that jerk.
As I was about to throw the hankie away I noticed that it had the initials I.S. on it.
'Hey, this is Baka-Shinji's,' I thought. Then I noticed a note had fallen out of my pocket.
It was in Shinji's handwriting and it read:
To Asuka,
Sorry about this Asuka-san. Had to wash all of your hankies. These are mine so feel free to use them as you wish. You can throw them away if you want- but I'd appreciate it if you don't.
Your Baka Roommate,
Ikari S.
"Baka-Shinji," I said fondly.
It was then that I began to think about my estranged roommate and why it was that I've alienated myself towards him. The funny thing was I couldn't really think of a reason why....
[Is there something wrong
With the way I speak?]
'I really try to act civil when I'm with him. But I just wind up saying things that really hurt him.'
[Do you even see me ...
When I pass you on the street?]
'But it's so hard to make him notice me and the only time he does is when I'm insulting him.'
[I close my eyes
And let it be
Because I just can't see
Why you love to hurt me]
I closed my eyes and saw the face of the guy who's bothering me so much lately. "Shinji..." I whisper quietly.
Instrumental(ity)
Shinji's POV:
I got home earlier than I had expected since my father had to cut the visit short. Before that I met Rei and we talked for a while (actually, I talked and she would nod or say a word or two). Of all the people I've met in Nerv, Rei was perhaps the one I found most intriguing.
Though most people thought that Rei had a personality comparative to that of a robot, I for one, do not share their views.
Like everyone else Rei had emotions and I've seen it in the way she would act with my father and in the way she acted around me sometimes. She just had an uncanny ability to detach herself from emotional bonds- something that I envied about her from time to time- and think in a rational and logical manner that most people thought was cold and almost, well, inhuman.
During the course of our conversation, I found that she really didn't know my father that much, which didn't come as much of a surprise. But whether it was a lie or not I really couldn't tell or care at the time.
I met my father later and we talked for a while. Then he said some things that bothered me about mom's grave. Rei was also there with him and that also seemed really strange. But before I could ask him about it he left, saying that he had an urgent matter to attend to.
Though I had probably one of the weirdest days of my life I dismissed the thoughts easily enough as soon as I got home.
Misato had left a message saying that she would be late and to not wait up for her. Asuka was still out and I silently hoped that she would have a good time. So I set about my chores and began cleaning up the place.
About half an hour later I had finished cleaning up. There wasn't much to do left and since there weren't any good shows on the TV so I got my SDAT and listened to a few tunes. There was one particular piece that I got from the Internet about a week ago that I found interesting.
It was a piano solo for an anime that was circulated around the year 2004 before 2nd Impact.
The piece was entitled "Alone" though I forgot who the artist was. It was a good piece and I thought it could probably be rendered beautifully into a cello piece.
This gave me an idea on what I could do to pass the time so I got my cello and proceeded with tuning the strings. 'It has been a while,' I thought as I cradled the neck of the instrument in my left arm. The piece wasn't very complicated and I've listened to it often enough to know how it goes so I began playing.
About halfway through the piece my mind began to wander back to the scene that took place earlier at breakfast.
'Why did Asuka act like that anyway?' I thought. 'Come to think of it, why did I act that way?'
It wasn't like she ever cared about my opinions. And it never really bothered me that she had a crush on someone before. Still, I do care for her since she's still a friend- even if she's really hard to live with and a part of me was a bit jealous of the guy who's probably sweeping her off her feet by now.
Then I smiled as I remembered the first time we met. At first I thought she was just a high-strung bitch, even more so when she moved in. But all that changed when the 7th Angel arrived.
The time we spent together was the closest I could ever get with another person. And it was at that time I first saw her cry. It was then that I realized that she wasn't that much different from me though she's better at hiding her true self than I was.
Maybe if we met under different circumstances we could have been good friends- or maybe even...
"Tadaima!" I heard Asuka say, once again cutting my thoughts.
"Okaeri, Asuka-kun."
Asuka's POV:
'I can't believe I went back here!' I thought as I got into the elevator that led to Misato's apartment.
After I left my date to rot in humiliation, I had thought of going out on my own but thoughts of a certain brown-haired baka kept popping up inside my head for no apparent reason.
'Why did I come back here anyway, I mean, I'm pretty sure Shinji wouldn't be here since he may still be with his father at his mother's grave.'
Then I hear something faint in the air. 'Is that... cello music?' I thought as I followed the sound and was mildly surprised when I found that it came from our apartment.
I wasn't familiar with the piece but it sounded beautiful, albeit sad, but it was pleasant to hear. I opened the door and was further surprised to find Shinji playing.
He looked deep in thought as he played yet his fingers never missed a beat and I felt it was almost a crime to stop him. Almost.
"Tadaima!" I heard myself say.
Shinji stopped and looked at me then smiled.
"Okaeri, Asuka-kun," he said.
Somehow I felt really tired and I lied down for a moment as he continued to play.
"You're pretty good with that," I said with a faint smile.
Shinji's POV:
"You're pretty good with that," I heard her say.
I almost lost the beat when she said that. 'Was that...a compliment? FROM ASUKA?!'
I looked at her for a moment and had to stop when I saw something that I thought I'd never see from her. She was smiling! And it wasn't one of her 'I'm so much better than you' or any of her usual malicious smiles either. It was a honest-to-goodness, warm, friendly smile.
A smile that you feel you had to give back in kind.
Asuka's POV:
He gave me an incredulous look for a moment after I said those words but just as I was contemplating on pounding him flat for stopping he smiled at me.
Not the fake or sad smile he often used when around other people but a warm smile. A smile that said "Thank you."
At this the part of my brain that was responsible for my emotional defense mechanism leapt into action sending a message to the part of my brain that was responsible for teasing remarks and that part of my brain sent the message to my mouth before the logical part of my brain could censor it's contents.
"Must've took you an awfully long time to practice that piece, huh?"
I regretted the teasing tone of the remark the moment it left my lips but Shinji kept the warm smile.
"No, not really," he said, his hands resuming their work. "I was five years old when my teacher told me I should try it, but, did you know I didn't really like playing the cello at first?
"But you liked it eventually, right?"
"Yes I did, and he never told me to stop so... do you have any requests?"
Later that night we had our dinner silently and we went to watch the TV in the living room. For a moment I skimmed through the channels but found nothing interesting on. I had hoped that there was going to be a good show on so as to distract me from thinking about the baka sitting beside me at the other end of the couch.
At that time I tried to look calmly irritated and slightly bored, but my inner self was confused and very, very annoyed.
'Why should I even be thinking about him?!' my pride said to me. 'Okay given that he's a fellow pilot- he is nothing compared to us and he shouldn't be even worth our spit!'
'But he cooks and cleans for us,' the logical part of my brain said. 'We owe him at least some token of concern.'
'SO WHAT?!' My pride retorted. 'He'd cook and clean for almost everybody! Besides- isn't the pleasure of being in our presence enough for a bakayaro hentai like him?'
'True, true,' Logic said. 'But he did save us at one time.'
'Ugh! Don't remind me! That idiot only wanted to show of what he could do with his EVA.'
'Maybe but don't you care at all about him?'
At this a small, childish voice in the back of my mind spoke up.
'I do...' the small childish voice said.
A slight blush covered my cheeks but it disappeared before Shinji could notice.
'Alright,' my pride spat back at the voice, 'even if we do- how do we know that he's not like the others who'd only care about us because of the obvious fact that we're the smartest and most beautiful girl in all of Japan.'
'We could ask him,' logic suggested.
'ARE YOU INSANE??!! IF WE DO THAT HE'D HAVE EXCLUSIVE BRAGGING RIGHTS ABOUT HOW WE FEEL! WE WON'T BE HEARING THE END OF IT FOR MONTHS!!!"
'Then what do you suggest we do?' logic said, 'it's not like the guy would ever talk about how he feels for us. I doubt that he even feels anything for us anyway given the way we interact with him and the way he acts towards us.'
'There is something there,' the childish voice spoke again, 'it's very subtle but I'm sure of it.'
'Still we couldn't ask him out-right, it'd be very un-characteristic of us.'
'Then I have an idea!' a new voice said. It was the mischievous side of me and it was giving the same smile I gave my idiot date. 'Let's kiss him and find out!'
'W-WHAT?!!'
'Oh c'mon! It'll be fun, think about it: we get to screw with the 'Third Baka's' head and find out what he feels.'
'Well it's not so bad a plan...'
'But what if he doesn't feel the same?'
'Then we could always go back to Kaji!'
'It's only wishful thinking though,' the childish voice said again with a sigh.
'I know...' I thought to myself bitterly. 'But it still keeps me from thinking how lonely I truly am...'
And with that I shook my head and put the plan into action.
"Hey Baka-Shinji!" I said smiling mischievously.
The look Shinji gave me told me that warning bells were already sounding in his head. "Yeah?"
"I'm bored."
He smiled a bit and stood up saying: "If you want I can play another piece for you..."
It was tempting but I shook my head. "No thanks, I'm not THAT bored yet..."
"Oh..." he replied sadly.
'Way to go Asuka.' I thought, wanting to smack myself in the head. "Well like I said, I'm bored- you wanna kiss?"
Shinji's POV:
"Well like I said," Asuka said to me, "I'm bored- you wanna kiss?"
'Now THAT was the last thing I expected to hear from her,' I thought as I felt my jaw drop to the floor.
'Wait, she must be teasing me again.'
"It's not funny, Asuka," I said thinking that this had to be a dream. Whether it was good or bad I didn't know but I thought I saw a pained expression flash in her eyes for a moment.
"I'm serious!" she said clearly annoyed at my reaction.
"C'mon Asuka, that's not even the slightest bit funny," I replied.
"I just want to kill some time and since there's nothing else we can do- I thought we could practice kissing."
'Practice kissing?!' I thought. "Be serious Asuka, do you know what you're talking about?"
"Yeah, I know, and quite frankly I'd rather do it with Kaji. But since you're here..."
'Kaji,' I thought, feeling my heart beginning to break, 'she wants to do it with Kaji....'
"No, I won't do it..."
"What's the matter, Ikari?" She said in a mocking tone. "You don't want to kiss a girl on the anniversary of your mother's death? Afraid that your mother might be watching us from heaven? Afraid of one kiss from a girl? Or are you afraid because you might turn out a lousy kisser?"
'"No, Asuka I- it- it's just not right..."
"Hmpff! Baka-Shinji can't even take the opportunity of a girl offering a kiss- you are pathetic!"
'Yes,' I thought. 'I am pathetic. You are offering me something I want but- you're offering it out of boredom and not because you like me.'
Just then a familiar voice spoke to me.
'Why don't you do it?' Chibi-Shinji said. 'Don't you want this as well?'
'But...'
'This may be the only chance you have... Don't waste it for us.'
'But she doesn't really want me.'
'Has she offered this to anyone else.'
'No...'
'Then how could you know that she doesn't like us?'
At those words I brightened up. 'Could she...?'
I mentally shook my head. 'No- I shouldn't get my hopes up...'
Chibi-Shinji gave a small sigh and stared directly at me.
'You're the one who's outside, not me. So I guess I really don't have much of a say in what you want to do. But you shouldn't run away - not from this - not from the one you love...'
"Alright," I said with an annoyed sigh.
"What?" Asuka said as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Asuka's POV:
"Alright," I heard him say.
To say I was stunned was an understatement. A feeling of happiness warmed my heart then I noticed his annoyed tone and that sent a feeling of foreboding running through my head. In the end I was so confused that all I could manage to say was a dumb, weak: "What?"
"Alright, I'll do it," Shinji said though there was a bit of apprehensiveness in his voice.
I quickly composed myself as I heard him say it and as I looked at him he was clearly as confused as I and the uneasiness was still visible in his eyes.
'I've got to do something about that or he might back out at the last moment,' I thought. 'But first...' "...I hope you remembered to brush your teeth..."
Shinji's POV:
"...I hope you remembered to brush your teeth..." Asuka said.
'Seriously now, is she joking or what?' I thought annoyed. It did manage to alleviate some of the tension I felt.
"Yes, I did."
"Good. No girl wants to be kissed by a mouth that smells like it had been working at a pizzeria... Now stand up."
"Can't we just do this while sitting?" I asked.
"I prefer that we do it standing up!" she said annoyed, then she smiled that 'smile' I've come to dread. "That way I can throw you if you have any hentai thoughts that you want to do with me."
"I'd never do anything like that!" I blurted out annoyed.
Asuka's POV:
"I'd never do anything like that!" he said.
I eyed him carefully and saw that he blushed. 'He's really kinda cute when he does that,' I thought when he realized what he said.
"Okay then close your eyes," I said as I pursed my lips.
As he leaned closer I suddenly felt my heartbeat rise in nervous anticipation and my vision became blurred. I had to close my eyes as well and concentrate on kissing him but I noticed his breath tickling my nose.
Though it felt kinda nice I had to get rid of the distraction or I might lose myself in his arms.
"Ikari," I whispered, his face so close to mine that I almost forgot what to say. "Your breath is tickling me..."
"What do you e....?!"
I never let him finish the sentence as I pinched his nose with my right hand and dove in.
'Oh my,' I thought.
Most people said that their first kiss was never a pleasant experience. Most of them felt awkward and just surprised. Well I did feel those things but there was something else that I felt.
A warm and strangely pleasant feeling that started the moment our lips touched.
'Why does it feel this way?' I thought as I kissed him.
I had only felt this feeling before in the cockpit of my Eva- this warm feeling of comfort and security. And I've never felt it around anyone else- not even with Kaji.
'Could I be...?'
'NO!' My pride cried out angrily. 'THIS CAN'T BE TRUE! YOU CAN'T BE- NOT WITH HIM!!!'
'But I want this- this feeling... I-I DON'T WANT IT TO END!!!' I cried back.
But just as I thought about this I felt the warmth in Shinji's kiss diminish.
Doubt began to cloud my judgment and I struggled to keep the warm feeling but it was disappearing quickly. A new fear rose in me- one that pierced through my heart like a shot from a Positron Rifle- the fear of rejection.
I wanted at that moment to hold him but the fear had paralyzed me. But I knew I had to do something so I opened my eyes slightly.
As my eyes began to focus on him I noticed two things:
First, my fingers were still pinching his nose...
Second, he was turning blue...
'Oh no!' I thought as I released his nose.
He suddenly pulled away and took a very deep breath. He glared at me and I saw all the anxiety, the pain and confusion return to his eyes.
And for the first time in my life I ran away from something I've started.
I quickly ran into the first room I could hide in which turned out to be the bathroom. I opened the faucet and splashed water on my face. The old me was returning fast and with it my old emotional defenses.
I heard myself begin to make retching noises and I felt the sudden urge to wash my mouth.
"PHLAUGH! I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THAT JUST TO KILL TIME!!!" I heard myself say.
Yet through it all I couldn't stop the tears flowing down my eyes.
Shinji's POV:
"Ikari...your breath is tickling me..." Asuka said.
I was about to say something she pinched my nose and kissed me.
'Asuka... is... kissing... me...?' I thought.
The kiss begun as any first kiss would've started- awkward and utterly confusing. Then I felt butterflies at the pit of my gut as the kiss began to turn pleasant- warming my heart and gently stirring emotions that I thought I'd never ever feel again ever since my mother died and my dad left me.
But at the same time my mind was still confused- this was Asuka of course and I guess there would always be that part of me that would always doubt the sincerity of other people.
Though I didn't want the warm feeling to end my mind wondered if all this was true or just another one of Asuka's plans to hurt me.
And so I just stood there unable to do anything- but as I began to feel a little light-headed I thought I felt Asuka deepen the kiss. Then my blood pressure quickly rose in sync with my pulse rate and my heart was yelling for me to return he favor.
I guess I would have too- if it weren't for the fact that she was still pinching my nose and my oxygen-starved brain was crying for air.
I was pretty close to fainting when she suddenly let go of me.
My reaction was normal enough; pull away and fill your lungs with as much air as you could take in.
When I looked back at her my mind was confused, anxious and maybe just a bit angry. And just as I was about to say something that I knew I'd regret telling her later- I saw an odd expression on her face.
Her eyes were glazed and she seemed sad.
But as I was about to say anything she quickly turned and ran into the bathroom. A moment later I heard the sound of running water and some rather loud gargling followed by an angry Asuka screaming:
"PHLAUGH! I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THAT JUST TO KILL TIME!!!"
I slumped down wordlessly with my mouth open in shock.
I wanted to cry at that moment but somehow I had found that there was still some pride left in me. So I got up, went to my room and locked the door.
It was a good thing that Misato's apartment was a sound proofed to a certain degree- at least it muffled the cries I made.
Bridge:
[And it sucks to face the truth
That I ain't got no reasons too
Whenever asked the simple question
Why I feel the way I do]
Shinji's POV:
I woke up around 1:00 AM.
The first thing I noticed was that I was on my bed, with the sheets draped around me.
'I must have fallen asleep crying,' I thought as I stared blankly at the ceiling.
The events of the day still played itself back in my mind and I still felt her lips touching mine.
It was then that I heard muffled footsteps outside and the slamming of a door. From the direction and sound of it I determined it was Asuka.
'Now what happened to her?' I thought wrinkling a brow.
Curious, I got up to take a peek and saw Kaji carrying a very drunk Misato towards her room.
"Great timing Shinji!" He said giving me a wink. "You can help me carry your sleepy flat-mate to her room."
"O-Okay."
"I'm NOT sleepy..." Misato slurred.
I rolled my eyes as I got hold of her other shoulder and we gently lay her on her bed. I got out as Kaji began to change her clothes for her. Soon enough my 'guardian' was sleeping soundly.
I made some tea for Kaji and we talked for a moment about what happened to Misato.
"Hey, Mr. Ryouji? How do you make a girl happy?" I asked without thinking.
"Well it depends," he said with a wry smile. "Do you wanna make her happy emotionally or sexually?"
I almost dropped my tea and accidentally spilled some on myself. "AHH- SCHEIST!!!"
"Taking German lessons from Asuka I see." Kaji said with a wide grin.
I felt myself blush at his words but said nothing.
I looked at him sadly and was just about to say something when Kaji turned serious.
"There's no easy way to make a girl happy, Shinji. Just care for her, tease her sometimes, but never forget to love her- even if she hates you or even if she doesn't care. It's a lot harder for a man especially for one as yourself but if you truly care for her you have to say and do things that she wants most of the time. AND say and do things that she doesn't want when she really needs it."
He put his teacup down and stood up- his roguish grin returning. "You make good tea Mr. Ikari, but it's late and I better be going... And incidentally..."
He leaned over and whispered a couple of things that made me both blush then have a good nosebleed.
"Ha, ha, the last part is the best piece of free advice I've ever given to any man so I'd expect you to use it! Ja mata ne, Shin-chan!" He said laughing.
And with that one of the greatest guys I've met took his leave and left.
After that thoroughly embarrassing episode I walked back towards my room but stopped at Asuka's door. For some reason I just wanted to listen in on her so I pressed my ear against the door and listened intently.
There were some slight whimpering sounds coming from behind the door and it made me wonder what happened to her.
The thought of the first time I saw her cry came back to me and made my heart wrench for a moment. 'Why? Why do I think of such thoughts now...?'
Unconsciously my hand moved and touched the doorknob.
'This sucks,' I thought. 'I know she'll just shout at me or call me names- but still...'
I shook my head and instead knocked on the door gently.
"Asuka?" I asked quietly, still a bit afraid of what she'll do to me if I do something to upset her. "Can we talk?"
Asuka's POV:
'Mein Gott, what a night...' I thought as I lay in bed.
I stared blankly at the ceiling as I thought about Kaji and my drunk guardian Misato.
I was glad that they came home earlier than I had expected. (And if truth be told, I was surprised that they came home at all!) Yet when I smelled Misato's perfume on him I knew that my fantasies of him were over. Heck, I've expected it from the start and I knew Kaji would never think of me as more than a kid (or his daughter/kid-sister)- but it still upset me slightly.
'Now I truly have no one...' I thought whimpering sadly.
It was probably the worst night of my life:
'The man I've had a crush on for the longest time has gone back to the woman he loves and the boy I've just discovered I care deeply about... probably hates me by now....' I thought.
'Thinking of him only made me wan to cry more- but I've always treated him so badly- so I shouldn't really be surprised if he hated me.'
I thought back to the moment I stepped out of the bathroom after getting back to my normal self. At some point Shinji went to his room where I thought he would be sulking.
But when I went there I noticed it was strangely quiet.
Puzzled, I tried to open his door and found that it was locked.
'But he never locks his door...'
Worried, I searched for Misato's spare key and found it by the back of the refrigerator behind her stash of beer. I went back and saw that he had collapsed on his bed.
He looked like he cried himself to sleep....
"No... it's over now so I should stop it... I should stop thinking about him...." I said to myself though I knew it was just another lie I made for my own convenience.
"Since when did my life get so complicated...?"
A knock on my door brought me back to reality and Shinji's gentle voice filled my ears.
"Asuka? Can we talk?"
I sat up and looked at the door. Any other day and I would've just shot off with the usual insults (in both German and Japanese) but considering what I've found out about my feelings towards him I just couldn't do that right now...
"Asuka...?"
"What do you want?" I said trying to sound as angry as I could.
There was a short pause then Shinji spoke again:
"If your feeling well enough to be angry then I guess I shouldn't be worried," he said laughing nervously. "Well I- I suppose you should be going to sleep then. Sorry for bothering you...Goodnight."
'Leave it to Shinji to get a burst of courage and loose it a minute later...' I thought with sigh.
Why did he come to me anyway? Aren't things clear enough for him?!
Still... why is he concerned about me if he hates me?
I got up and went over to the door slightly hesitating whether or not I should open it or just let it be. Finally I sat down with my side against the door.
"Shinji..." I said sadly- not really expecting him to still be there.
"I'm here Asuka..." he replied, surprising me.
[And I know it's stupid on my part
To say that I love you
Even though I know you hate me
And you don't know why you do...]
Shinji's POV:
"If your feeling well enough to be angry then I guess I shouldn't be worried," I said laughing nervously. "Well I- I suppose you should be going to sleep then. Sorry for bothering you...Goodnight."
'I know, I'm running away again,' I thought. But it hurts me when I run away- even more than her words do. I look at her door and thought: 'It hurts for me to stay yet it hurts me more to go- either way I'll just end up getting more pain...'
So why do I still stay? Why do I still do this?
Because...
Because...I...
"Shinji..." I hear her say.
It was faint, almost like a whisper but I still hear it and the slight tone of pain that went with it.
"I'm here Asuka..." I said.
"So you're still there," she said from behind the door.
"Yes... do you want me to leave now?" I asked anxiously.
"NO!" She said surprising me. "I mean- you wanted to talk right?"
"Uh, yeah I guess..." I said scratching my head unconsciously.
"Well?" Asuka said impatiently.
"About what happened," I began. "Well- I'm sorry."
I took a deep breath and continued:
"I know this sounds too much like an excuse- but it really was my first kiss and I knew that you didn't want to kiss me- so I'm sorry."
"Is that- all you wanted to say?" Asuka asked me (though I did notice the tone of disappointment in her voice).
"N-No not really..." I said faltering a bit.
'I have to say this...' I thought steeling myself '...before I lose my courage again.'
"Asuka I know you hate me- I guess now you have even more right to do so. And I know this would sound stupid coming from me but...I-I really like you...!"
Asuka's POV:
"Asuka I know you hate me- I guess now you have even more right to do so. And I know this would sound stupid coming from me but...I-I really like you...!"
'H-He...likes...me?' I thought to myself gasping as the impact of his words hit me.
He likes me. He likes me!
Joy, anger, fear and confusion were twirling inside me making my head spin and I felt like my guts were about to explode. The feelings I've felt when we kissed were back again but this time it was more powerful! I feel as if my feet were being swept from under me and I couldn't move.
Then I felt the door shift slightly as Shinji sat down and lay against my door. We were back to back now and I wondered if he was aware of this.
"I really don't know why I like you the way I do," he continued with a bitter laugh. "I mean, you always hurt and tease me and I think you even sleep late at night thinking of ideas on how to make my life miserable..."
I clutched my heart in pain at his words. 'Is that how he thinks I think of him?'
"...But I still like you Asuka. Even though I know this won't change anything between us I just want you to know."
'Baka-Shinji...' I thought on the verge of tears once again.
"I should go now Asuka- I've already said way too much. And you probably wanna strangle me at this point too huh?" Shinji said laughing bitterly again.
"Auf wiederseihen Asuka..." he said as I felt him stand up.
'Auf wiederseihen?!' I thought, 'goodbye!?! What the devil is he saying?!!"
I got up and quickly unlocked the door. I swung it open and found him walking back to his room.
"SHINJI!!!" I cried out and he turned to me surprised.
"I-I...You..." I stammered at him, groping for the right words to say to him.
"I-it's 'gutten nacht' not 'auf wiederseihen'..." I said confused.
"Huh? What?" He asked dumbfounded.
'Idiot what did you just say?!' I shouted to myself.
"I said its 'gutten nacht'- goodnight- not 'auf wiederseihen'." I said blushing furiously. "Auf wiederseihen means goodbye."
"Oh! Sorry," he said with a slight smile.
"Anyway don't say auf wiederseihen if you're not planning on leaving me-- I mean if you're not going anywhere!" I said catching myself.
I looked at him and he was staring at me wide-eyed with surprise and my cheeks felt warm again.
"A-anyway we should get in bed-- I mean we should go to sleep! Uh, g-goodnight Shinji!"
With that I quickly turned away and slammed the door thinking maybe it was time I called myself baka as well.
[Is there something wrong
With the way I speak?
Do you even see me ...
When I pass you on the steet]
'At least I know he likes me,' I thought as I got back to bed.
Now I just had to find a way to tell him how I fell about him.
'Dammit Shinji! You really now how to mess up a girl's life...' I thought with a smile as I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.
[I close my eyes
And let it be
Because I just can't see
Why you love to hurt me...]
Shinji's POV:
"A-anyway we should get in bed-- I mean we should go to sleep! Uh, g-goodnight Shinji!" Asuka stammered as she quickly shut her door.
'She's kinda weird today...' I thought. 'But at least she didn't throw insults at me.'
"And she called me Shinji again..." I said smiling slightly as I went in to my room.
As I lay back on my bed I put my SDAT on and played another song I found on the internet.
It was another melancholic song with a strange title- Sampip.
Of course I didn't know what it meant but I like the song nonetheless.
And somehow it made me feel that tomorrow was going to be a little different from now on.
END
(1)- This is how Encarta spells the name of the psychopathic commander of the Krakow ghetto form Schindler's List.
(2)-Most fanfics I've read made references to this quote. But please, if you truly value your health- DO NOT TRY TO COOK WITH OR MIX CURRY POWDER IN OTHER DISHES - EXCEPT FOR IT'S TRUE PURPOSE!!! (Believe me, I tried using it on fried rice once and to this day, I swear the taste still haunts me )
Omake!
The Next Day...
Asuka and Shinji had already left with their usual tirade (Asuka complaining and throwing insults at Shinji while he just let things go without much complaint).
Yet Misato was slightly puzzled since they were both hiding smiles at each other when they were 'arguing'.
Misato sat down and began to guzzle down her fifth beer. The hangover she was experiencing didn't even slow down her morning habits as she and Pen-Pen watched the morning news.
"...In other news there was a bit of a commotion at the newly opened 24- hour Tenrou Amusement Park in Tokyo-2 when a teenaged boy refused to move from the opening line of one of its roller-coaster rides. Witnesses say that the boy - Kajima Sentaro - had been waiting for his date as of yesterday and has refused to move from the spot. Police officers had to bodily remove him from the premises..."
Misato raised a brow and looked at her drinking companion. "Now I wonder what that was all about...?" she said as she belched.
The penguin looked at her with his beady eyes and squawked then looked back at the TV.
'I'll never understand humans,' he thought sipping his beer. 'But you sure do make great beer....'
Extra Notes:
Well that's it. My first one-shot Eva fic. Feel free to e-mail all comments and criticisms to:
Flames will be mildly tolerated. Excessive flaming shall be ignored or- depending on content- sender shall be tracked down and forced to endure 12 months of chain mail....(depending on my mood of course.)