Disclaimer: All Characters Belonged to Their Respective Owners, I own nothing of this fan-fiction, Nor am I paid for writing it

No Leaf Clover

Chapter 2

Shinji looked at his hands in slight pain, rough edges around his fingertips. Callouses as some people would call it, It's been almost a week since he obtained his guitar, and it showed in his fingers. Various callouses and cuts surrounded his fingertips with his guitar playing. School had just ended a few weeks ago for summer vacation and Misato was at NERV filing paperwork again. He had time all to himself, and for once it actually felt amazing.

He started of guitar playing learning basic chords and open notes, Which wasn't very hard to him seeing though it was basically like playing notes on his cello, the only difference was strumming. He wasn't sure why a pick came with his pickups before, but he found out unfortunately after strumming for about two hours. His fingers began to draw blood and his hand swelled with pain, He spent the next hour stuffing his hands in ice until the swelling went down.

He also had to learn how to hold the guitar upright, the guitar body facing away from his fret hand. He had a hard time adjusting to his guitar because he was left handed, but he quickly adjusted to playing right hand after a few days. He was now playing basic classical songs and some less faster Heavy Metal songs, He was proud that he had gotten this far in a week, He might go back to the Guitar Center to see if he could get a few more books on playing guitar.

The doorbell rung without any true warning, Shinji who's hand was currently in wraps ran to the door with a quick smile. "Coming..." He said walking to the door. After finally reaching it he grabbed onto the doorknob softly careful not to hurt his hands any worse than what it did. When he opened the door he was actually very surprised on who it was her short blue hair did not match with her pale skin, Her red eyes beams with a slight sense of joy, and she was wearing a white short sleeve button up shirt, and black jeans.

"Hey Shinji!" She said with a giant smile, Rei was the very last person to appear from the LCL, but when she did her personality was...different. Instead of the emotionless and monotone puppet, She was very loud and rebellious, She was prone to get herself in trouble, She was quite the troublemaker because of it. It was not a normal day at school if Rei did not pull a fire alarm or or wired the school intercom to play rather inappropriate sounds during lunch and make all of the kids vomit.

"Hey Rei come on..." He said with a smile as he moved away from the door, she quickly walked into the house. Rei was always a frequent visitor before and after Asuka left, and seeing her here today was not surprising in the very least, it was damn near expected if it wasn't for the fact that Shinji was not busy. Rei sat down on the couch only to instantly get back out letting out a slight yelp in pain she then looked down seeing the culprit, a the broken guitar pickup from Shinji's Les Paul.

Shinji laughed as he saw what happened he grabbed the pickup and quickly placed it in his pocket. "Sorry...I was working on something..." He said. "What would require a Electric Guitar Pickup?" Rei asked looking at him with a single eyebrow up as she wrapped her arms across the other and began to tap her feet acting as if she wanted answers. Shinji smiled turning his back at her. "Just something for a friend...You want something to eat I made breakfast a few minutes ago..." He said with a quick smile.

Rei saw that he was doing he was playing off her question, he was actually never one to play off question by any means. She smiled as she walked into the kitchen seeing that he made a sort of a American breakfast today, Bacon, Eggs, with two pieces of toast each. She smiled sitting down at the table as she instantly took a bite of the toast. Shinji looked at her with a shocked face. "That's my breakfast!!" He yelled. Rei turned to him and smiled slightly.

"You did ask if I wanted something to eat right...well here's me eating..." She said with a giant smile on her face, He sighed at her, he had extra but the principles was principles. He sighed as he began to make himself another plate, Rei giggled slightly, as she seen the Shinji before her. "So what was the Pickup for?" She asked. Shinji looked at her with a confused face, she just does not give up does she? He sighed getting his hands out of the pan. She then saw the bandages on his arm and instantly frowned.

"Your hands what happened?" She asked in concern, looking at the bandaged hands, she was concerned for her 'brother' in a sense. She knew that at one point Shinji had a crush on her, but she kept away because she knew what she was to him. A simple clone of his mother and Lilith, The 2nd angel, and she knew that made her in a mad scientist was, his sister and that wouldn't feel right in that sense.

"Nothing just...hang on..." He said with a quick smile running off into his room, Rei looked with a confused face. Was he that afraid of talking about his wounds that he just ran off, Maybe it was just her but Shinji was...different from before, a lot different, he was not budging at all of her question, he also was quick to keep goings his thoughts was quicker as she saw that he was more eager to speak. She got her answer to her question when Shinji walked out of his room with his Gibson Les Paul in his hands.

She instantly caught onto what happened and smiled at it, She let out a fake giant breath of air as if she was thinking something else. "Wow...I actually thought you was cutting yourself...but this is nice..." She said in a joking manner, Shinji looked at her with a laugh and sat the guitar on the side of his chair, He then proceeded to get his breakfast. "Not funny...not at all..." He said with a chuckle. Rei laughed slightly as she saw him sit down at the table to get his breakfast.

"Well surprise surprise Shinji got himself a guitar...when did my brother become a 'rock star'..." She said pinching his cheeks, almost like a big sister would do to her brother. He laughed smacking her hand away as he began to eat slowly starting with his bacon. "It's not like that, I rather off playing more classical stuff and maybe adding more alternative and progressive stuff as I go..." He said with a smile checking his hands again, Rei then laughed at him as she added up what happened. "Your not playing an acoustic guitar, "You know you need to have a pick..." She said.

Shinji looked at her in confusion how did she know what happened to his hands, She laughed looking at him and answered as if she was able to read his mind. "I do read you know...it's also common sense bloodied hand from using a guitar is usually caused by beginners who think they could play fast...but that usually doesn't happen unless you play heavy metal..." She said scratching his head. "Well...I do play a Little Dream Theater, and I just heard of a band called Tool, that seem to be very good..."

Rei looked at him with one eyebrow up and crossed her leg around the other as she folded her arms together. "Okay...Who are you and what have you done with Shinji-san?" She said with a serious face on. Shinji looked at her with a confused face. "Uhh...What are you talking about?" Rei slammed her hand on the table and looked at him with a serious face. "Your confidence, your not stuttering when I play with you and your not apologizing..." She said, Shinji looked at her with a confused face she was actually right, but he felt no change whatsoever.

"Funny...I actually didn't notice it..." He said with a smile as he finished the last of his toast, He then heard a beep from his wrist, he looked at the watch and checked in shock. "Oh shit...I have to go..." He said, he then grabbed his guitar and placed it in his bag quickly he then unwrapped his hands looking at them closely to make sure nothing was wrong with his hands. They seem fine now as long as he use a pick, Which he had no problem doing go knows he didn't want to hurt his hands again.

"Where are you going?"

"Visit Asuka...you want to come along?"

Rei said nothing turning away, She knew how Asuka one felt about her and didn't think at this moment that Asuka would even want to be bothered with her. Though she is no longer a controlled puppet, she does not want to remind Asuka of any horrid memories that she already had in her heart. Rei then looked back at Shinji with the first frown he's seen from her in quite a while.

"I rather not..."

Shinji nodded simply understanding why she denied the request, this was just as hard as the people around him that just himself. He would dare not be selfish to other because of his feelings, It was just what his father would do and he dared never to be like him. He smiled as he began to walk out the door when Suddenly Rei lifted her body out of her seat her red eyes looking with understanding as she looked at Shinji.

"I'll walk there with you..."

The walk there was silent, mostly because of Shinji's ears being invaded by the sounds the music from His I-Pod which was strapped to his pants for easy access, Rei sighed it was nice to see Shinji actually smiling. As much to her surprise of his new personality, She was equally enjoyed of seeing Shinji actually enjoying. Just for curiosity she looked down near his pants pocket to see the Information of the song

Tool

Parabola

Lateralus

Now she was more into Classical and Jazz, not Heavy Metal, but to each their own, It was a good thing at least he was doing something. Seeing Shinji just literally destroying himself was saddening to her, but he is changing, slowly yet surely. The transformation would be a good thing for him, regardless how it would be a lot better than this.

"We're Here..."

She looked up to see The Mental Institution, It was exactly what she didn't want to see. She sighed as she turned her back away. "I'll See you later Shinji..." She said walking off away from him. Shinji looked at her with a scratch of his head, he wasn't sure why Rei was not able to see Asuka, but he always wondered. It was definitely hard for him to go see her, but he pulled through for her.

'Maybe it's harder for Rei because they never really had a friendship before.'

He turned around seeing the door to the Mental Institution and began his stride toward the door.

Shinji quickly walked in to see Asuka playing chess with herself, She seemed to do this a lot nowadays, maybe because she always needed to think what was around her. She did not turn even after noticing Shinji was there, She really didn't want to see him right now not after last week.

"Hey Asuka...How is everything?"

She still showed not emotions but quickly used her eyes to scan Shinji, This was the first time he actually said something during his visit that wasn't a response to her question or a quick sorry. She looked directly at him as he said this, her Midnight blue irises looked at him with a hint of wonder that she had never had before.

"Shinji?"

She gasped in shock as she looked at him, he was...different, instead of his black pants and white short sleeved shirt that was his school uniform. He was wearing a tight black T-Shirt that hung to his body with a tight feel, but not to tight, almost an athletic fit, and he was also wearing dark blue jeans with black stitches near the pocket and belt line, The belt tightly around his waist as the bottom of the pants snugged perfectly at the side of his shoes.

"Nice to see you too Asuka..."

He smiled sitting down next to her with a smile on his face, Asuka stared at him totally confused on what was happening with him. He was smiling at her, almost as if he hadn't a care in the world. It scared her at first, yet it made her comfortable, She looked at him with a frail of confusion, wonder, and fear, This was far from the Shinji she knew, but yet she felt more comfortable.

"I've met a guy name Dave last week have you heard of him, he was staying here for a few days..." Shinji said, Asuka looked away from Shinji, She wasn't sure if she could face him like this. She was actually jealous of how was he feeling. She then frowned looking down at the ground again, Her eyes shedding tears slowly through her pain.

"He's forgot about me mother..."

Shinji looked at Asuka, it seems like she was starting to talk to herself again. He felt almost hopeless as he saw her like this. But alas he stayed near her continuing to talk hoping that she would listen to him. He smiled again looking at her with his chocolate brown eyes.

"He gave me this guitar...at first I didn't know what to do with it but then I began to play it, I've gotten into a-lot of music at this..."

"I told you he would forget Asuka...He does not care for you...he's just like everyone else..."

Asuka continued to talk to herself, holding her head as she did so. She seemed to be at it again with, but it seemed this time, The voice was like a second person, and she swore she called it her mother. Asuka turned to him her eyes looking with pain and sorrow, Shinji's heart suddenly sunk seeing her like this it was horrible to him but some strange reason he did not know why.

"Why are you here?"

She asked him that hurtful question again, but this time, he found a way to answer her. Shinji turned around to see her pale face with a giant smile. "Because I care...." he said. Asuka looked at him with a confused face, what was she supposed to think? Did he really care about her, was he lying...She still was not sure, she said nothing as she faced away from him. Shinji looked down for a quick second and placed his fret hand on the neck of the guitar.

"You mind if I play a song..."

Asuka said nothing looking at the wall again, she was having an inner battle with herself right now. Her thoughts swirling around her head in a violent and wretched mix of anger, confusion, and depression.

"He doesn't care...he's lying..."

"That's not true...he's here..."

"To ridicule what is left of you...deal with it...he wants you dead like everyone else...He almost watch you die when you fought those Mass Production EVA's"

"No he didn't know...not Shinji look how much he is taking for me.

"He only feels sorry for you...it's only pity, he has not reason for you to live..."

"But he must think something if he's here."

"He just want you gone, why don't you make his wish come true..."

Asuka was about to respond when she heard something beautiful coming from the person behind her it was an elegant sound with a strange combination of heavy sound with an elegant classical and progressive feel. She turned around to see Shinji slowly strumming on his guitar his fingers trailing across the frets slowly his eyes affixed to the guitar below him, his face full of emotions Asuka has never saw from him before confidence, Calm, and happiness....

Happiness

Something that Asuka hungered for ever since Instrumentality, So many people appearing from the LCL as if nothing happened it was sickening, how can nobody care about what happened, how could nobody care about her. But maybe somebody did care about her, Maybe she was just too busy making his life a miserable hell.

He finished the song with a giant smile on his face, his fingers leaving the fretboard. He looked up at Asuka with a smile on his face, Asuka staring into his chocolate brown orbs, as they shone from the lamppost in the room. She never seen this side of Shinji and there was something different about it, something that left a sense of mystery and wonder.

"How did I do?"

Asuka looked at him and was about to respond when, an orderly appeared from the doorway, She smiled seeing the two teens in the room. "I'm sorry to say but visiting hours are over...Your going to have to leave Mr. Ikari..." She said, Asuka looked at her with a guilty frown, and then looked back at Shinji who was already up from the floor and walking out of the door, Asuka began to look back at him with pleading and curious eyes. Suddenly Shinji instantly turned around smiled at Asuka he then waved goodbye to her.

"Take care..."

He then walked out of the room shutting the door behind him with a soft click. Asuka looked at the door in wonder her face staring as if something was bound to happen at any moment.

"Are you actually going to wait for that Idiot?"

"It was so beautiful, a little half done, but it was amazing"

"You make me sick, and you call yourself a Sohryu...he's just going to leave you...just like everyone else..."

'Your wrong...he won't leave me...he might be the only person who actually care...'

'He just think your hot stuff, he literally stripped you of you clothes and masturbated to your unconscious body and now your telling me you actually care?'

Asuka did not respond to the voice on command, but she quickly nodded no, but doing so she felt wrong almost damned there guilty. She knew she was lying to himself but she just couldn't stop thinking what she thought. She wanted so badly to join her mother, where ever she was, she couldn't stand all of this pain anymore. It was horrible, she hated Rei, the doll that took the last of her pride, she hated, Misato, pretending like she always cared, But more of all She hated herself. But there was one thing she couldn't say she hated, and that was the boy who had just left the room. She was irked by his perfection, his complete cowardice, and his ability to pilot EVA without the want to do so. His Perverted actions also made her angry especially his sudden reaction to her unconscious body during her damaged state.

But yet...

She could not find a way to say she hate him, and his sudden confidence, It enticed with with feelings that she had only felt a few times in her Life. Safeness, caring, hope, and a feeling that she had not felt since she had first met Kaji, and it scared the holy crap out of her.

Shinji walked the town with a unreadable face, He was stirred with confusion on what was going on with Asuka. Yet when he played that song, He felt energized and happy, but when he saw Asuka's face so full of wonder, and curiosity.

He might have been lying to herself, but he swore he saw a glint of happiness in her, true happiness and with it?

Hope

He walked by the store he was at last week with a smile on his face, 'Guitar Center' Was decorated highly for some reason. He looked into the store and saw a sign that might change his life to the extreme.

'World Famous Guitarist Dave Mustaine guitar signing, come in and meet a legend here at Guitar Center'

Shinji decided not to walk in, He was about to walk back home, but just as he was about to press play on his I-Pod...

"Hey Shinji!"

Fate slapped him in the face leaving a brush on his conscious, He turned around to See Touji and Kensuke. His eyes lit wit a slight pain, His feelings about haven't really been great since Asuka's breakdown, they wasn't exactly aware of what was going on with her. All they know was that she's gone away for now.

Infact the only people that did know was, Rei, Hikari who swore not to tell, Misato and with her NERV, and himself.

"Where you been it's like you've been avoiding us all week..." asked Touji, He then laughed looking at Shinji.

"I bet the Red Devil called this week, something about attempting to rip out your heart or something..." He said.

"Yeah, probably scared Shinji Shitless..." Said Kensuke with a slight growl. Shinji just sighed, looking away from them with a slight look of disgust. because they did not know the condition of Asuka, they teased her as if nothing happened.

"She didn't say anything guys just chill out okay?" He said showing off his new demeanor. Touji looked at him with a confused stare. "Dude you just say chill out?" He asked in totally and utter confusion on what just happened.

"Yeah why?" Said Shinji. Kensuke looked at Shinji with a scratch of his head as he and Touji smiled. "No reason..."

They then looked at the sign in the Guitar Center to see the sign about Dave Mustaine and gasped.

"Dave Mustaine is signing, this is amazing I have to meet him he's just awesome!" Said Kensuke, Touji then frowned looking at his friend. "I told you, It's worthless man He's probably all stuck up and then He's this overbearing metal head..." They then looked closely at Shinji again seeing what he had on his back. "Shinji is that a guitar?" Shinji looked at them with a strange expression his eyes peering into them.

"Yeah I got it from some guy..." He stopped for a quick second to find a correct story. "From a Garage sale, said he didn't need it anymore..." He said with a quick smile. Touji and Kensuke looked at each other and smiled. "Do you play?" They asked, Shinji simply nodded looking at them with a smile they looked in awe and amazement. "So your showing off a little more for the girls at school huh?" He said showing off a quick smile in order to get Shinji's blood going.

That didn't happen, Shinji turned to him and smiled back at him. "Not really, just playing to learn..." He said, He smiled looking into the building with one eyebrow up looking at Kensuke. "Who's Dave Mustaine?" Asked Shinji in wonder, Touji and Kensuke looked at him, theirs eyes widening shocked that Shinji a guitarist has never heard of him."Only one of the Leading American Guitarist of the world He and his band Megadeth are one of the original four thrash metal bands."

"Thrash Metal...I thought there was only progressive?" He said with a slight confused face. Touji looked at Shinji with a smile. "You have a lot to learn buddy, here let's go in..." They then pushed Shinji into the familiar store with not regret on Shinji's Shyness and unwillingness to go in. Then seeing the people pack in like and quickly running off with their signed guitars Shinji looked in shock seeing the kids run off in glee. "What the...is this guy that famous?" Shinji asked.

Touji looked at him with a strange face, Did he really not know Dave. "Have you been living under a rock man?" He asked. Kensuke looked at him with a smile seeing the CD rack. "Hey Here's some of his CD's..." " Said Kensuke, Shinji looked at him and saw a repeating Pattern with the First Three he grabbed, They all had the Same Skeleton on the Cover, his eyes covered, his mouth nailed shut and his ears plugged Shinji instantly got the message inside of the Skull.

"Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil..." He said to himself. He then grabbed Two of the CD's Peace Sells...But Who's Buying...and Rust in Peace. They then ran back in line to see that they was next. Kensuke began to go nuts in glee. "Can you Believe it...we're about to meet Dave Mustaine man...this is sick dude?" Said Kensuke.

Touji just frowned attempting to tell him to calm down, Shinji drew them out of his mind, not trying to hear their bickering.

Then the final kid ran off with his signed guitar, The stooges instantly noticed and walked in front, suddenly Shinji shyness returned in an instant as he instantly looked down. "Hey kid what's your name.." The Man said. Shinji then looked up with a slight Frown. "Shinji Ika..." Shinji stopped looking at the man, Red hair, brown eyes pale skin.

The man then looked at him back as the both saw each other. "It's YOU!!!" They both said.

Indeed it was, the same person who gave him the guitar was the exact one who is about to sign his guitar.

"Seems we meet again Shinji..." He said looking at his hands seeing the cuts and callouses. "I didn't think you was actually going to play it..." He said with a smile, Shinji then smiled rubbing his hand in the back of his head. Touji and Kensuke looked in shock, confused at what happened. "You KNOW Dave Mustaine?" They said in unison Shinji smiled.

"Yeah he gave me his Guitar..." He said unzipping his guitar bag quickly and giving Dave the Gibson Les Paul, Dave looked at it and smiled. "You play Progressive Metal don't you?" He asked. Shinji looked at him with a confused face. "How did you know?" He asked. "Your using my Pickup with nickel plated strings, that's a Metal guitarist, and judging from your classical profile Progressive Rock should be easy for you to progress to..." He said.

Kensuke looked as if he was about to hyperventilate taken aback by the whole experience. "Oh my god you struck gold Shinji Dave sold you his guitar at a Garage Sale?" Ken said with a smile, looking at the Guitar "Do you know how much this is worth man?" Dave looked at him with a strange frown confused at what Kensuke said. "Dude I GAVE this to him at The Mental Institution...remember self admitted myself from exhaustion and anxiety..." He said Showing Shinji his release forms again.

Touji and Kensuke now looked at Shinji tapping their foot at him with a strange frown. "A Looney Bin Shinji...what was you doing there..." Shinji said nothing looking back at Dave with a smile on his face. "So I guess you have to sign my guitar?" He said with a quick smile Dave nodded with a slight smile as he grabbed the Guitar and began to sign it giving it right back to Shinji. "It was great meeting you again, God knows This is not the last..." He said, Shinji then walked off with a quick smile walking off, Kensuke and Touji following him he has a lot to say.

"Why was you at a Looney Bin?"

This has been going on for the last 15 minutes since on his way back from the store, he wished that Misato left the car so he could drive it, Rather than having to deal with them at this point, he did not want to answer the question.

"Asuka probably drove him mad and he had to go for the sake of not killing her..." Said Touji Kensuke following up with a laugh.

Shinji ignored it he was actually getting quite agitated over the whole situation, especially what they are saying about Asuka. He attempted to put his earphones, not wanting to hear anymore of the Asuka bashing.

"She probably laughed at him when she visited...That wretched bitch..."

Shinji groaned again attempting not to listen to his rather oblivious and ignorant friend about the whole situation. He again attempted to reach for his headphones desperate not to hear what they are saying. Shinji felt a pain of guilt as they said that, the feeling of hate when people spoke of her like that.

"She probably did one of the guards just to get in the Facility..."

That did it for Shinji...Hearing Touji said that was the breaking point Shinji did something that was totally so out of his character. He clenched his fist and slammed his fist into Touji's face, Touji quickly stumbling onto the ground as Shinji did so. Shinji fist stayed clenched seeing Touji move his jaw to see if it was broken. Looking at Shinji who was looking at him with the eyes of a murderer looking for vengeance for the people who done wrong to him.

"Shin-man...what the..."

"Asuka is not that damned heartless...She the one Sitting in their driver herself crazy, and your out here with all of your freedom and happiness while she is literally destroying herself...and it's my damned fault..." He said, He then began to break down, he dropped his guitar and leaning onto the wall of an old building, he then leaned himself down onto a wall as he began to cry.

Touji and Kensuke looked in shock, the words from Shinji all replaying in their mind; they looked down at Shinji with a heavy guilt ridden in their soul. "Whoa...Dude I didn't know I..." Touji looked down his brain fried from the information that has been told to him. But Shinji by this time had totally lost his cool.

Kensuke swore he saw fire in the young Ikari's eyes, He attempt to speak again but Shinji quickly interrupted

"Just shut up…I'm going home by myself…don't catch up…" He said running off tear in his eyes. Kensuke and Touji looked at their friend in concern.

They was not aware of what exactly they did to him, and how much it hurt, They looked at each other in complete and utter confusion.

Did they really just did that to Shinji, and the bigger question, when did Shinji begin to care about Asuka, Touji and Kensuke sighed. "I think we just messed up…" They both said to each other

Misato sighed opening the door to the house, It was quite the week at NERV, being the new Commander was not what she had in mind so much meetings, and paperwork, and plus all of the American's attempting to pick her up. To say that it was not what she had planned for her weekend was more than an understatement.

She walked in the living room and turned on the light, she looked at the floor surprised at what she saw at what she saw.

Shinji was on the couch his hair covering his face, a frown crept onto his face, she was shocked to look down near the couch to see a Gibson Les Paul, being a Kid in the 80's Hair metal was in and instantly recognized the guitar type, She then walked slowly to him, careful not to wake him up from his peaceful slumber and picked up his guitar. She then saw the Autograph from Dave Mustaine and smiled.

'Time is the only healer of pain, hope this is helping time pass by faster,

Let God be with you

Dave Mustaine'

Misato smiled at this, she heard of the Thrash Metal guitarist many times before while she does not know him, she knew that he was a overall nice guy. Shinji face quickly turned to a smile as his I-Pod began to bang a song through his eardrum looking leaning into the couch his cheeks completely exposed, Misato giggled slightly resisting the need to kiss the cheek, She simply walked away going into her room. Closely looking at the Song that was Being played it seemed that Shinji looks up to Dave a lot more now.

Megadeath

Peace Sells

Peace Sells…But Who's Buying

A/N: You will not see Dave Mustaine again, I swear to god...I just needed to give him a great way to go, and Shinji's music exploration, You see I am trying to establish the Music Shinji listen to because I want his musical growth connected to his psychological growth, slowly he will get less and less shy as the times goes on and with more music he listen to, and it will slowly begin to affect Asuka.