See Chapter 1 for disclaimer.
THE IKARI SUPREMACY
Chapter 2: Enjoy the Silence
Meanwhile, back on the mainland, the others were still traveling to wherever Rei was leading them. "Geez, how much longer?" Misato said, the day's walk grating on her nerves.
Ritsuko sighed. "I swear, you complain out loud one more time-"
"We are here," Rei spoke up, interrupting the two women.
"Huh?" Misato asked, looking around the area. It was a small clearing in an otherwise dense forest. A small hill nearby, no homes…nothing out of the ordinary. "I…don't see anything, Rei."
Rei didn't respond, only walking over to the hill and gripping its edge while pulling back. The others soon realized the hill to be a tarp as it fell away to reveal something metal beneath. "A VTOL?" Misato asked.
"Indeed," Rei answered, "this will be our transport."
"And just why is this here?" Kaji questioned.
"This was my insertion vehicle while I…worked for the Commander," Rei explained. "It has remained prepared and ready for some time."
"Rei, remind me when this is over that I owe you a drink," Misato said, walking over to the hatch.
"Stop," Rei said with some volume. "Do not walk any further." Removing a small device from her bag, she keyed in a quick sequence, a beep sounding from the craft afterwards. "It is safe now."
"Safe for what?" Misato asked.
"Explosive trigger," Rei stated, opening the door inside. "If you were to try open the hatch with it armed, it would be equivalent to one-twentieth of an N2 mine."
"Uh…thanks, then," Misato said, her eyes wide.
The others followed Rei inside the vehicle, closing the hatch tightly and placing their supplies in the small cargo hold. "Wait…who's flying this thing?" Ritsuko asked. "Last I checked, neither of you were pilots of any kind," she said, motioning to Misato and Kaji.
"I will," Rei stated, taking her seat in the cockpit.
"Figured as much," Kaji said, taking a seat behind her. "Ladies, buckle up. This may be a bumpy ride."
"I am quite accomplished, I assure you," Rei said, no humor in her tone.
"And just how are we going to remain undetected in this?" Misato asked.
"This model was built without any tracking apparatus," Rei answered, flipping switches and going through the usual startup routine. "Commander's orders." With startup finished, she then pulled back on the steering column, raising the craft above the ground.
As the VTOL began to climb above the treeline, Misato took one last look out the window at the Japanese countryside. 'Shinji…Asuka…' she thought, 'I hope you're both safe and hidden.'
Meanwhile, with his story finished, Shinji fell silent along with the two other current occupants of the captain's quarters. "Well, that's…" Mathieu began, shaking his head at the information he'd been handed, "that's pretty far out there, I'll give you both that."
"All I promised was the truth, sir," Shinji said. "Nothing more."
Mathieu kicked back another shot, his fourth since the discussion began. "Always knew something strange was happening in Tokyo-3," he said, "damned Angels appearing and all…"
"Not that anyone else had much of a clue what was underneath it all," Asuka added, "not even us."
"Weird thinking back on it now," Mathieu thought aloud.
"What's that?" Shinji asked.
Mathieu leaned back in his chair. "Let's see…it had to have been nearly five months ago," he began. "I was still working this stretch of coast then, and that one Angel fell outta the damned sky was visible clearly from out there. And all I could think was, 'What kind of person would be up to fighting such things?'. Heh…funny it turned out to be people almost a quarter my age. And two of them were you, no less!"
Shinji and Asuka both shared a smile at the captain's reminiscing, bringing them both back to a time before things became…complicated. Well, complicated for them at least.
"Hell, I'm honored to have you both onboard now," Mathieu said, standing up and placing the bottle and glasses back into their place.
"Oh, there's no need for that…" Shinji said nervously. Asuka remained quiet, feeling glad for the first time in a while of her previous accomplishments.
"Not too surprising to hear governments are still using children to wage war for them, though," Mathieu added sadly.
"What do you mean?" Asuka questioned.
"Miss," Mathieu began, "a long time before Second Impact, that was the way a lot of poorer countries filled out their armies: child soldiers. Saw a lot of it in the service, broke my heart every time…"
"Service?" Shinji asked.
"Ah…British army," Mathieu explained. "Did my duty up until Second Impact. After that, well…there were more pressing matters than needing to go to war. It's amazing the people that get brought together while surviving."
"Yeah, we can relate to that," Asuka said, giving Shinji a slight grin.
"But it just goes to show how little we've come since," Mathieu continued. "Still using children to fight wars. Not just against other people this time, but also things from science fiction." He looked at the wall clock. "Ah, look at me. Ramblin' on like a man twenty years older…I should really quit botherin' the both of you."
"Oh, you're not bothering us in the least, sir," Shinji said. "It's nice to just have a conversation to…take the edge off, so to speak."
Mathieu nodded. "Aye…you've both still got some serious things to deal with," he said, remembering why they needed a ride across the ocean.
"And deal with them we shall," Asuka chimed in, a determined look in her eye and an edge to her voice.
Mathieu gave a short, hearty laugh. "Now that's the spirit, lass! I can only reckon you'll give 'em all nine levels of Hell in one go."
"Oh, you just don't know the half of it," Shinji replied with a smile. "On a bad enough day, I figure Asuka could take down the entire JSSDF by herself."
"Maybe with Unit-02, you mean," Asuka said proudly.
"I dunno, your moods can be…extreme," Shinji said, wincing at his own understatement.
"Then you've just got to keep me in a good one until then," Asuka finished, giving him a playful hit on the arm.
Mathieu gave another small laugh at their exchange. "Ah, youth. Something I wish I could buy more of," he mused.
Shinji turned to the captain. "Hey…can I ask you something?"
"Sure thing, m'boy," Mathieu replied.
"Is there anything I could do onboard?" Shinji asked. "You said we're going to be three or four days from shore, and I don't want to feel like a fifth wheel around here."
"Nonsense," Mathieu offered, "you're my guests. Why on Earth should you feel the need to-"
"Trust me," Asuka cut in, "it's just his way. He was always like that around the apartment."
"Well, since you put it that way…" Mathieu started, "what can you do?"
"I…I've been told I'm a fairly good cook," Shinji said, his face a bit red. He hated to flaunt any talent around others.
"I suppose I'm fine with that," Mathieu concluded. "I can tell you for certain our cook's gonna love you for this. Man can be a right lazy bastard some days."
The two teens shared the captain in a good laugh before all three departed from his quarters. Before leaving to walk out on deck, Asuka gave Shinji a quick peck on the cheek and a wink. The boy smiled brightly before continuing to follow Mathieu to the kitchen area…
Several hours later, the others found themselves deep inside Russian airspace and nearing a landing site near NERV Russia. "We will be touching down shortly," Rei informed them.
"And just how long a walk from there?" Misato asked. Her feet still ached from their hike the day before.
"No more than a few miles," Rei stated. "It was a necessary precaution for escape."
"Always planning three steps ahead, eh?" Kaji questioned.
"No…five is how many I was trained to stay ahead," Rei answered.
Kaji stared at the former First Child. 'Real nice work you've done with this one, Gendo,' he thought darkly. He could only hope it was less ingrained in Asuka or Shinji.
"Are you so sure we'll find anything here?" Ritsuko asked.
"No," Rei admitted, "but even if it is not, it could lead us elsewhere."
"Is that why you brought me?" Ritsuko continued. "To pick their MAGI's brains?"
Rei shook her head. "Only a partial reason, Dr. Akagi. I would not have left you in that bunker to be found by SEELE operatives. The major would not have forgiven me."
"Oh…" Ritsuko said, sitting further back in her seat.
"We are here," Rei announced, maneuvering the craft over a small canyon. "There is no forest cover here, so this location is a necessity." After touching down, she turned to the others. "Arm yourselves before exiting. We do not know who will be awaiting us."
"Gotcha," Misato said, unbuckling herself and heading towards the cargo bay. Along the wall were several different assault weapons of varying calibers. "Variety is the spice of death," she mused. "Think I'll just stick with my regular," she said, looking down at her NERV-issued handgun.
"Very well," Rei said, picking up an M4 from the rack. She walked out of the craft and kept her weapon ready, looking for any movement other than them. The sun was just beginning to set, night still a couple of hours away. "We must stay low until darkness has fallen."
The four walked in slow silence for a while, out of the canyon and onto the otherwise flat expanse of land around the area. "At least there's nothing here to see us," Kaji said.
"No, the area around the Russian branch is desolate," Rei replied. "Nothing to see us, but almost nowhere to hide."
"Always a downside to an upside," Misato said, remembering an old saying.
The trip resumed in silence. As the sun finally set, they reached a gathering of small burned-out structures. Rei walked over to one of the buildings, pointing her weapon in through the window. Not getting any reaction from inside, she quickly opened the door and motioned for the rest to enter.
"Now what do you suppose this place was?" Kaji asked.
"I'm guessing either an observation post," Ritsuko offered, "or a deserted town. Whichever it was, it's been empty for a while. There's dust covering everything."
"Indeed," Rei said. "I used this as an outpost once before." Moving towards the window, she removed a pair of binoculars from the pack they'd brought. Searching the horizon for any activity, she caught sight of something at their destination. "I am afraid we will be here for a while."
"I don't like the sound of that," Misato said, looking out the window near the girl.
"I am unsure who they are," Rei began, "but there are several vehicles parked around the perimeter of the NERV branch here. Military, I am sure of that much."
"Probably a purge," Kaji said. "By the time we get there, there may not be anything left."
"Regardless, we shall wait," Rei concluded. "There are far too many of them to approach head-on."
"Well…settle in, folks," Misato half-heartedly joked, "it's gonna be a long night. Or two."
The next day, Shinji stood out on the deck of the ship feeling the midday sun and the sea wind. It was such a contrast to the day before, calming and feeling more like his and Asuka's stay in Osaka.
Then Shinji felt two slender arms encircle him. "I can still sneak up on you so easily," Asuka said into his ear. "That's a bad sign for someone looking to hide."
"Not when we're on the same skill level," Shinji said with a blush.
Asuka released Shinji and stood beside him at the side of the ship, leaning along the railing. "You sleep alright?" she asked.
"Not the most comfortably, but yeah," Shinji replied. The cots they were given were barely larger than they were and a bit stiff, but it was better than no sleep.
"Shame there's no shower…" Asuka mused.
"Tell you what," Shinji offered, "first thing we'll do once we arrive is get a hotel room. Then you can take as long a shower as you want. Deal?"
"Sounds good," Asuka said, turning to look at him. "Why can't all men be as accommodating as you?"
"Does that mean you consider me a man now?" Shinji teased.
Asuka gave him a small shove. "Not hardly. More of a general thought, really."
The two shared a short laugh after that. "You know…" Shinji began.
"Hmm? What's that?" Asuka questioned.
"It just occurred to me…this is how we first met," Shinji said with a smile.
"You mean at sea?" Asuka asked, remembering back to that time.
"Yeah," Shinji reminisced. "God, it's been just over six months, but it feels like a lifetime ago."
"It was, in a way," Asuka said. "Honest question: what was your first impression of me?"
"You really want the answer to that?" Shinji asked back.
"Yeah, sure," Asuka replied. "I can take the truth, y'know…"
Shinji sighed heavily before continuing. "I thought you were beautiful…easily one of the most beautiful girls I'd ever seen. And you stood in this way that said you had nothing but confidence. And then you opened your mouth…"
Asuka cut him off with a small punch. "Hey!"
"…and while I heard insulting things come out of it," Shinji continued as if she hadn't hit him, "I couldn't help but think of how you sounded. Speaking of which…one of these days, I'd love to hear you sing."
"Oh…" Asuka said, turning away to hide her blush. "I thought you were going to say something you'd regret." She lowered her head a bit. "You remember what my first impression of you was, huh?"
Shinji smiled at the memory. "Oh yes. I believe the words were, 'Such a boring little boy'."
"That didn't mean I didn't find you cute…" Asuka admitted. "You were just such an apologetic doormat back then. And you still hang on to some of that."
"I thought you found that endearing," Shinji teased.
"Oh, I don't mind being worshipped," Asuka said, "not at all. And these last few weeks, you haven't fallen back on that much. Besides…" She turned towards him. "I know you really love me."
Shinji said nothing, just smiling at her and turning back to watch the horizon…
Back in Russia, the others had taken turns keeping watch while the rest caught whatever sleep they could. It was currently Misato's turn, and she was both anxious and sober…dangerous qualities for the former NERV major. "Wish they'd move on already," she said for the seventh time that hour, "I hate waiting for something to happen."
A small hand on her shoulder caused Misato to jump a little. "I did not mean to alarm you," Rei said, taking a seat next to her.
"It's alright," Misato said, giving the girl a smile. "I'm just getting antsy waiting for them to make a move."
"I do not understand," Rei stated.
"I guess you're just a lot more patient than I am," Misato admitted. "This waiting around and not knowing about Shinji and Asuka is really unnerving me."
"You should not worry about them," Rei said. "They seemed ready to protect one another."
"They have been getting closer since he reappeared," Misato replied. "Not that I didn't see it before…"
"What do you mean?" Rei asked.
"Oh, they've tried to hide it," Misato explained, "but I could see though them both after a while. All they really needed was to see past the other's bullshit. Something it took Kaji and I years to do."
"I…see," Rei said, not really understanding but satisfied with the major's explanation.
"I just hope you'll find a nice guy yourself one day," Misato said, smiling at the girl. "You're just as entitled to be happy as they are." She sighed heavily. "Still wish I could get ahold of a beer, though…"
"Your shift is nearly up," Rei began, rummaging around in a bag, "so I shall give you this as well as take up your watch." She pulled her hand out of the bag, a can of Yebisu in her grip. "I grabbed it before leaving the bunker. I am afraid it is the only one you had left."
Misato's eyes lit up at the sight. "Rei…I swear, I could kiss you," she said, accepting the gift. 'It's warm, but I couldn't give a damn,' she thought happily.
Rei blushed slightly. "I…do not think that would be a good idea."
"It's just a saying, don't take it literally," Misato said, popping the top and gulping down the can's contents in one long drink. She barely suppressed making her usual post-beer shout. 'Bad idea right now,' she thought. "Oh God, that hit the spot," she said. "Thanks a lot, Rei."
"You are welcome," Rei said. "Now I shall take up the watch. Get some rest."
"Hey, no need to tell me twice," Misato said, moving over to an area under the window to get whatever sleep she could…
Day two onboard Mathieu's boat was once again all quiet. Shinji busied himself in the galley for most of the day, while Asuka saw fit to use part of the deck to work on her tan…after warning the deckhands to keep well away from her or she'd show them just how dangerous she was over anything in the sea.
During the afternoon lull on day three, Asuka decided that a bit of fun was in order. She found Shinji relaxing out near the bow of the ship, deep in thought. Walking up to him, she whispered her plan into the boy's ear. Blinking a few times, a smile formed on his face as he understood what she meant to do.
Moving out onto an empty portion of the deck, Shinji and Asuka began to spar like they had done so often in Osaka. The difference being that, this one time, each one clearly telegraphed every move to the other. Not that anyone who watched would be able to tell, both of them moving faster than a normal fight would go. But every punch was pulled, every move exaggerated…all of which soon drew the attention of everyone else on board.
The sounds of cheers and applause were lost to the two former Children as they continued their own form of ballet, both a testament to their skill as well as their unison training close to a year earlier. Both couldn't hide the smiles on their faces as they moved about one another, dodging and 'landing' blows. It had become a form of bonding for them, and both didn't mind the audience that had gathered. Asuka had been looking to break some tension (as well as boredom), and Shinji was all too happy to help her out. After all, he knew the redhead loved playing to a crowd.
They kept this going for nearly an hour, both sweating and starting to run out of breath. Asuka decided it was time to go in for the kill and shot Shinji a wink. He nodded, understanding what she was getting at. He went for a high kick that the redhead cleanly dodged while bringing her own leg around to wrap around the remaining limb he was using for support. He collapsed onto the deck with her standing over him, a wide smirk on her face.
"First one knocked down loses," Asuka stated, extending a hand to him. "That was what we agreed on."
Shinji accepted the hand, unable to do anything but smile. As he looked around the deck, he saw the workers currently collecting and paying bets that had been taken during the match. It seemed like Asuka had been favored to win. 'More like she set it up,' Shinji thought, smiling brightly. 'Wouldn't be surprising, really.' Glancing over to her, he saw the redhead all too happy with her 'victory', bowing to the crowd a few times before walking back to her companion.
"Was it good for you?" Asuka asked, a genuine smile on her face.
"Great for me," Shinji answered, still trying to catch his breath. "You set the house against me, didn't you?"
"Why, whatever do you mean?" Asuka questioned in a voice heavy with sarcasm.
As the workers dispersed, the two teens laid out on the deck and shared a laugh. For one brief moment, they had forgotten they were on the run and hiding from greater powers…
Meanwhile, it was the third night for the other group. Their days and nights had passed much more slowly, with the adults occasionally bringing out a deck of cards to keep themselves from being driven nuts by the lack of activity from the base. Rei was currently on watch, keeping her gaze fixed on the mostly-underground structure in the distance. She was used to watching targets for some time before an opportunity would present itself. That didn't mean she didn't know boredom, however…she just couldn't put a word to that feeling.
Suppressing a yawn, Rei took a moment to check the condition of her weapon. A quick field-strip and reassemble later, she returned to her surveillance. After a few more minutes, there was a flurry of activity near the base entrance. She could make out shapes piling outside and into the APCs and VTOLs nearby, making a quick exit. 'Time to go,' she thought.
Rei moved away from the window to wake the others. A moment before she would get there, though, a flash of light and heat drew her attention back towards the opening she had been watching out of. Misato immediately jumped awake, drawing her gun towards the sudden rush of noise. "Wh…where are they?" she shouted, aiming around the room.
"There is no one but us," Rei said. Outside, she could see what had happened: the base had been all but erased from the Earth, what little of it that was above ground collapsing into the dirt.
Kaji was at the ready just after Misato's outburst, staring out at the now-rising tower of smoke and flame. "Oh, just great…" he mused, walking over to the window.
"Guess that means it was a purge," Ritsuko stated, rubbing her head and trying to regain her footing after such a jarring wake-up call. "What a mess…"
Misato stood by the window, looking out at the destruction. "Fuck!" she exclaimed, hitting a nearby wall with her fist. "Three days here and every bit of it wasted." She slumped against the wall a bit, the tension in her body just ready to burst.
"There was nothing we could do," Rei explained. "Whoever was here only just evacuated, most likely triggering a remote detonation. And there were far too many of them to make it anything but a suicide mission."
"I know, but…" Misato replied, stopping to sigh. "It's just frustrating as hell, you know?"
"I understand," Rei answered, slinging her rifle over one shoulder, "but we must move on. This facility is lost."
Kaji nodded, helping Misato to stand up straight. "You alright?" he asked.
Misato shook her head, giving him a weak smile. "Yeah…just not the best way to wake up."
"No kidding," Ritsuko stated flatly. "I'm used to some coffee, at least."
Rei looked back to them after checking for anyone watching nearby. "All clear," she said. The others quickly gathered what they'd brought from the VTOL and headed outside to make the journey back to the craft…
Right then, it was just after noon on the fourth day as the boat arrived at New Portland. Walking out onto the deck, Shinji was struck by just how much the city felt like Tokyo-2. The grey skies, sea air, and light rain all reminded him of the first time he'd been in the city they had departed from. 'Must be something about port cities,' he thought.
After pulling in to the harbor, the crew began affixing the ship to the dock. Asuka joined Shinji outside, carrying the backpack they'd brought along. "Well, so much for a sunny entrance…" she said under her breath.
"Can't enjoy a sunny day without some rainy ones," Shinji stated with a shrug as they walked over to the captain, standing near the exit plank.
"I suppose this is where we're parting company," Mathieu said.
Shinji bowed to the man. "We really appreciate all you've done for us, sir."
"Ah, come on now," Mathieu replied. "After that story of yours, I should be in debt to both of you."
"Still," Asuka began, her hand outstretched palm-side down, "thanks for letting us hitch a ride."
"Anytime, miss Sohryu," Mathieu said, shaking the girl's hand. Upon pulling his hand back, he found it now contained a wad hundred-dollar bills. "Hey now, I told you-"
"We insist, sir," Shinji cut in. "We agreed that we wouldn't feel right about leaving you empty-handed for all your help."
Mathieu flipped the bills in his hands. "Must be almost five grand here…"
"An even five, sir," Asuka said. "We felt that was a fair amount for you."
"And please," Shinji offered, "think of it as a gift, not payment."
Mathieu smiled warmly at them both. "Heh, never thought I'd see youngsters with such manners again. I thought they'd all gone the way of all extinct things…" He placed a firm hand on Shinji's shoulder. "Shinji Ikari, you're a good man. Never let anyone tell you any different."
Shinji smiled nervously, a small blush on his face. "Th…thank you, sir."
Mathieu motioned over to Asuka. "You take care of her, you hear?"
"There's no need to worry about that," Shinji answered. "I'd lay down my life for her."
"But let's not let it come to that, eh?" Mathieu said. Turning towards Asuka, he addressed her. "You've got a right good one here, lass. Don't let him get away."
"Like he'd want to get away," Asuka replied with a smirk, "or could, for that matter…I'd hunt his ass down and show him what angry really is."
Mathieu let out a short laugh at her statement. "Ah, of course you would." As the two walked off the ship, he called out to them. "Godspeed to you both. May the winds of fortune be at your backs."
Shinji gave one final wave before answering. "And to you, as well." Turning to Asuka, he continued. "Alright, let's get moving." Nodding, she kept to his side as they traveled out into the city. Both were careful to avoid parts of town heavy with people or businesses, trying to avoid detection from any potential SEELE agents.
Five hours later, they found themselves on a dirt road well outside of the city and approaching a small stop-over town. Taking in their surroundings, Shinji noted a convenience store and a hotel were the highlights of this area, with a military surplus store just down the way. 'Better make do with what we've got,' he thought. 'Stocking up for a while might not be a bad idea.'
Another hour passed as the teens picked up essentials for the short-term: food that could be eaten with a minimum of cooking (or none at all), survival gear (knife, compass, a map of the local area), and a set of clothes for each that were more suited to the weather here (what they had brought with them was for a warm and sunny climate, which seemed to be in short supply here).
The purchases stuffed into a large rucksack, Shinji and Asuka traveled across the way to the hotel. Walking inside, they were met by a bearded man in his early thirties watching a television sitting on the desk. "You need somethin'?" he asked, not looking up at them.
"Yeah, a room for the night," Asuka said.
Glancing over, the manager looked from one to the other. "You both look kinda young. I need either valid ID or an adult to-"
Asuka cut him off by slapping a hundred-dollar bill on the counter. "Just give us a room, no questions asked, and you can keep the rest."
The manager gave her a shrug and took a key from the wall. "Hey, whatever you say," he replied. "Room 119, knob's a little hard to work."
"Thanks," Shinji said as Asuka took the key and walked out of the office. Following close behind her, they soon came to the room number he'd told them. Placing the key in the lock and turning, she found the manager hadn't been kidding about the knob's difficulty. 'God, I'll bet it's a wreck…' she thought, not looking forward to the condition of the room itself.
Opening the door, they were both pleasantly surprised to find the room not as dirty or damaged as either had expected. "You know," Asuka said as they entered, closing the door behind her, "this isn't nearly as much of a fleabag as I thought."
Shinji shrugged, putting the backpack and rucksack on the floor. "Probably gave us the nicest one. Sign said this place's nightly rate was only forty," he said, removing the M9 from the backpack and placing it on the nightstand next to the bed. 'Just in case…' he thought.
"Then we only overpaid a little," Asuka replied, laying back on the bed. "Oh dear God, it's nice to have a normal bed again."
"Those cots weren't that bad," Shinji offered, sitting on the side of the bed and smiling at her.
"I think that just proves you got too used to a futon for too long," Asuka said, sighing. Looking over at Shinji, she returned the smile he was giving her. "Hey listen…how about you take the shower first?"
"Really?" Shinji asked, unsure. Asuka was, in all the time he'd known her, never one to give up the bathroom first.
"Yeah, sure," Asuka said, looking away to stare up at the ceiling. "It's been over half-a-week, another fifteen or twenty minutes isn't going to kill me. And besides," she paused, sitting up to lean over him seductively and put her head right next to his ear, "you kind of smell."
Shinji felt himself heat up several degrees, never mind the words Asuka had used. She could say damn nearly anything in that tone, even reading from a phonebook, and it would affect him the same. "Uh…s-sure…" he managed, slowly standing up and heading for the bathroom. Closing and locking the door behind him, he let out a heavy sigh and slowly undressed.
Back in the main room, Asuka was trying to suppress a laugh at Shinji's reaction. Even after living together by themselves for over a month, he was still able to be taken off-guard with the proper use of feminine charm. 'Still, he can be cute when embarrassed,' she thought with a grin. Hearing the water running from the bathroom, she picked up the remote and spent time searching through the channels. After several minutes, it became clear to her that American television sucked. 'Nothing but reality shows,' she thought. 'At least in Japan, it was mostly animation and game shows…'
The water stopped almost ten minutes later, with Shinji leaving the bathroom after another five. Clad in only a towel around his waist, he tried to hide any blush on his face as he turned to Asuka. "All yours now," he said, moving aside to let her in.
Asuka stood and walked over to him, a gleam in her eye. Looking him up and down slowly, she whispered in the same tone she'd used before he left. "You better not have done anything dirty in there, pervert…" And with that, she closed the door behind her.
Shinji let out the breath he'd been holding. He was used to Asuka's teasing, but there was something else he couldn't place this time. 'I could swear she was…flirting with me,' he thought with a laugh. 'Nah, she'd never be that black-and-white about it.' Quickly dressing himself for sleep, he had the same idea she had and searched through channels for something on. And came to much the same conclusion that the redhead had: there was nothing good on. So he simply laid back on the bed and listened to the shower running.
After showering, Asuka stood quietly in the bathroom. Wiping the fog off the mirror, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Here she was, just over fourteen and on the run for her life with a boy she had only just finally tried to understand. She knew what she felt, it had been the same as that night she and Shinji had first comforted one another.
"This is different…" Asuka whispered, tightly tucking the towel around her body and removing something from the pocket of her shorts. Placing it under the hem of the towel, she walked out into the main room. She found Shinji asleep on the bed, the lamp on the nightstand the only light in the room. There was a slight smile on his face, which made her smile as well. "Hey Shinji…" she spoke with only a small bit of volume.
Shinji opened his eyes slightly, sitting up in the middle of the bed. Rubbing his eyes, he looked over at Asuka and promptly turned an impressive shade of red. She stood at the edge of the bed covered in only a towel, her hair and skin still clearly damp. And then there was that look in her eyes that he hadn't seen before. Finally regaining control of his voice, he spoke. "Asuka…what are y-"
Asuka placed a finger to her slightly parted lips, silencing him right there. She slowly climbed onto the bed and hovered over him, their bodies almost touching at several points. "What's the matter?" she asked breathily. "A bit uncomfortable for you?"
Shinji swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "Why are you doing this?" he asked, feeling the heat from the shower still on her.
Asuka slowly removed herself from over him and sat on the edge of the bed. "I just wanted to be sexy for you," she admitted. "Do you like it?"
Shinji couldn't find the words after hearing that, only able to nod and stare. "But…why?"
"Because it's easier than what I should say," Asuka replied, looking away from him.
Shinji stayed quiet for a few seconds, thinking over her words. 'What she should say?' he thought. 'What does that mean?' A moment later, he realized what it was she was getting at. "I told you before, there's-"
"-no need for me to say it," Asuka finished for him, "that you can just feel it. But I don't like that, it makes this all feel selfish. And you don't deserve that…"
"But I told you…I'll give you all the time you need," Shinji offered, placing a hand on hers.
Asuka turned back to look at him with a serious expression. "And just what if this might be the last chance? What if one of us died tomorrow? I think time is something we don't have."
Shinji squeezed her hand softly. "I won't let that happen."
"But this time, they want you dead, too," Asuka said, a tear almost falling. "This isn't just me, this is us."
Shinji shuddered a little at that thought. He'd done his best to keep it out of mind, but it was a possibility now. And here, they had no one to help them. Best-case scenario, the others were still half-a-world away from them. Worst-case…they were alone and there was no help.
"And right now, I want this to be different," Asuka explained. "That first night, we were just crutches for each other. The next morning, I learned that wasn't how you saw it. You freely admitted that you loved me and you regretted nothing. And it broke my heart just a little that I couldn't return the words right then…"
Shinji sat quietly, listening to her explanation. He saw Asuka tremble a little at the last few words, clearly on the verge of crying.
"The way you've treated me these last few weeks has been the kindest I've ever been shown," Asuka continued. "Hell, you've practically worshipped me! And every day, I felt the need to say it just a little more. Then everything was turned upside-down again, and here we are…far out of our comfort zone and with our lives in our hands." She climbed back onto him, straddling his waist and staring into his deep-blue eyes. "But I won't let that stop me anymore, too much could be lost. I only have one thing to ask you, and I want the bottom-of-your-heart answer," she said, propped over him on her arms. "Do. You. Love. Me?" she asked, emphasizing every word.
Shinji stared back into her eyes, taking a deep breath and readying his words. "With all that I am," he said, his face beet-red and smiling brightly. "I love you, Asuka."
Asuka smiled back at him, a few tears falling from her eyes and onto his face. "Then I…love you, too," she finished, leaning down to plant a hungry and passionate kiss on his lips.
Shinji had been getting used to kissing, but this wasn't like anything Asuka had done before. This was clearly from somewhere buried far below and ready to get out. Her tongue speared itself into his mouth, her breathing heavy and interlaced with light moans. He took only a few seconds to be surprised before he surrendered into it, trying in vain to keep up and match every action she took. He could swear the room had shot up thirty degrees, whether that was from their actions or the heat of the shower still on her was irrelevant. He wrapped his arms around her, keeping his hands on her back. Her fingers ran through his hair, her entire body laid out on his. And he could most certainly feel her through his clothes and the light towel she wore.
Pulling away after almost a minute, Asuka tried to slow her breathing enough to speak. "Now…that…is how you…do it," she managed between pants.
Shinji felt like he could melt at that point. If the end was to come right then, he'd be fine with that. Not much else could compare to that feeling. "Now I know…you don't need to say it," he said as soon as he could breathe again. "That made it clear enough."
Asuka shook her head and sat beside him. "No, I absolutely had to. We're not crutches for each other anymore. It goes much further than that." She stood from the bed and stared at Shinji, her eyes heavy with desire. "Now…it's time to show you just how far."
Right then, Shinji was able to place the look in her eyes he'd seen earlier. It was the same look she had on now. "Are you sure?" he asked, his own eyes widening.
Asuka rolled her eyes. "What the hell kind of question is that right now?"
"I mean," Shinji explained, closing his eyes, "is this because you want me or because you're sca-"
Asuka placed a finger over his lips, cutting off his sentence. "Because I want this to be special," she said. "That first time, we were just clinging to one another. Right now, I want this to be what it should have been." Leaning down to his ear, she continued in a voice barely above a whisper. "I want you to make love to me. I want to make love to you. No fear, no sadness, no looking back…just what we share tonight."
Shinji felt like the air had been taken from him. Here was this beautiful creature he had been in love with for so long, telling him what he always wished for. This wasn't about fear for their lives, this was about the connection between them. Pulling back to look her in the face, he spoke in an uneven voice. "How do you know to put things in a way that I can't say no to?"
Asuka stood back up straight, flipping her still-damp hair with one hand. "Easy. It's a woman's gift," she replied with a grin.
Shinji gulped and became serious again. "Last time, we weren't careful. What if-"
Asuka removed a small foil-covered object from her towel. "Already taken care of," she said, tossing it to him.
Shinji caught it and stared for a few seconds. "When did-"
"When I went to the restroom at that convenience store," Asuka answered with a shrug. "Guess Americans aren't as prudish as the Japanese."
Placing the item on the nightstand next to the gun, Shinji took a deep breath and looked back towards her. "Are you completely sure about this?"
"As sure as I've ever been of anything," Asuka said, her expression serious. "I just want there to be a single wonderful moment in the middle of this shit. Something we can look back on when this is over. Something we can say we were sure of if either of our numbers come up."
Shinji slowly removed his shirt, the heat of the room having finally gotten to him. "God, you're beautiful…" he mused, looking the redhead up and down with appraising eyes.
"Oh, I can assure you," Asuka replied, "before this night is over, I'll show you God." And with those words, she slowly undid the towel around her and let it fall to the carpet…
*****To be continued…*****
A/N: Yeah…once again, I ended it off just short of the good stuff. Last time I'll do that, I promise. To make up for it, there's a side-chapter containing the…missing bits of activity, so to speak, soon to be released. Be on the lookout for it, you just may enjoy it (I hope).
And if that last scene taught you anything, it's clear that I enjoy putting together sweet-but-sexy scenes between them. It's something I like to read, so I like to make some of my own…as anyone who's read my other works should no doubt know. Asuka's hesitation with using those three simple-yet-complicated words was displaying that I'd always seen her as, in a sense, a physical creature. Emotions she wasn't used to would be fairly difficult to convey, but there is always the physical side of love that is (for many people) easier to get across to another. You'll recall she used physical means to flirt with Shinji (episodes 9, 10, and 15 for examples) before, so it's not hard to think she's be less uncomfortable with the flesh-and-blood aspects of love.
…but that's just my analysis, I could be wrong.
Time again to recommend a-song-to-a-scene. For the hotel room scene, find and listen to At Night by The Cure (concentrate more on the music than the lyrics). And while we're on that, go find and buy the following albums: Seventeen Seconds, Faith, Pornography, and Disintegration. I found that they're best when paired with good A/S fics.
Pre-read for this chapter was again done by the team of Dark Machine, Eric Blair, gesser87, and JimmyWolk. Good work as always, gentlemen.
Small note: this chapter and all previous/following it were written around late June/early July last year. So a quick "sorry" to everyone who may have been waiting for something after TLaWR. Revisions and pre-reading can take quite a bit of time, it would seem…
For any of you who are new to the community, all of my older (2004-2006) works have undergone a small bit of tweaking (as of the 14th of June 2010). So go take a look, tell me what you think. And review! Even if it's not positive, review!
As usual: good comments will be appreciated, bad ones will be ignored (or kept for firewood). But I do favor good/helpful criticism, so send it my way!
-AngelNo13Bardiel-