As promised, here is chapter 2, and I just want to say thank you to everyone that reviewed/fav/alerted this (and SOA if you're reading that). Chapter 3 should be out...Wednesday I'm thinking, but I'm gonna take a break tonight I think. I typed most of this last night...


'Hmmm...which to get?' thought Shinji as he stood with the two objects in his hand. His eyes darted back and forth between the two, wondering A: what Asuka would like better, and B: what would be cheaper?

'I think I know why I haven't made German food in a while,' Shinji suddenly thought. Everything was of course much more expensive then most of the things normal Japanese college students would eat, but Asuka was a rare exception. Heads still turned in the hallways of Tokyo University when Asuka walked down them, and Shinji, after already having seen five years worth of this, wanted to puke every time he saw it. Asuka still seemed to enjoy the attention though...

"Decided what you're getting yet?" asked Asuka appearing behind Shinji's shoulder.

"No," said Shinji as he turned around, holding the veal in one hand and the pork in the other. Asuka almost immediately crinkled her nose at the veal and pointed to the pork instead.

"That one," she said.

"So the cheaper one," sighed Shinji in apparent relief as he put the veal back.

"I may be German, but under no circumstances am I eating veal. Ever."

"What is veal again?" asked Shinji.

"Calf meat," replied Asuka. "They kill it when its young so that the meat has a better flavor."

"Right," said Shinji, quickly becoming disinterested.

"Well I got the eggs and milk that you wanted...and the coffee. Do you realize we went through a whole container in a week?"

"Considering what finals were like, yeah...I believe it."

"Was there anything else you wanted?" asked Asuka.

"How about picking up another sweatshirt?" asked Shinji jokingly. Asuka simply raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. Shinji had left his jacket that Asuka had made him wear back at the car, but she had entered the supermarket fully bundled up.

"Then if you don't need anything else, and are done making stupid jokes, I wanna get out of here and look around Tokyo-3."

"Alright, but we can't take too long. We have perishables now after all."

"Yes, yes, I know," said Asuka as she started dragging Shinji towards the check out stands. "But I...well if possible, I wanted to look around for Christmas trees.

Shinji almost stopped dead in his tracks, making Asuka lose her balance briefly.

"What did you stop for idiot?"

"You wanna get a tree?"

"Well of course," grumbled Asuka. "Christmas only comes once a year after all, and its not like we can just cut down a tree and bring it into our apartment whenever."

"No, I know...just...which apartment do we put it in?" asked Shinji.

Asuka blinked; she hadn't thought of that.

"...Well, it'd be yours I suppose. I'm not in mine very much, and I'm sure I'd forget to water it. Also, theres a great spot in your living room where we could place it."

"Well, I suppose," said Shinji eventually. "But what about lights? Ornaments? We don't have any."

"We'll just pool our money together and buy some."

Shinji was very skeptical about this idea, but let it slide for now. Since Asuka was happy, it was okay.

"Alright then," said Shinji. "We can look, but we wont be buying today."

Asuka beamed widely at him and for a brief second seemed to draw nearer to him until she realized what she was doing, and played it off as losing her balance.

"C'mon, lets get out of here," said Shinji, not noticing what had just happened.

"Right," mumbled Asuka, suddenly feeling slightly embarrassed.


Even though they had a fair amount of money from Nerv, they were still careful with it. So when the question of transportation came up, they pooled their money for the first time and bought a cheap Honda they had found for a reasonable price. Unfortunately though, it was a stick, and neither of them knew how to drive one. When you thought about it though, it was ironic that both of them, when at the age of fourteen, were able to pilot the giant humanoid like weapons known as the Evangelions. Driving a manual transmission engine would seem to be a joke.

Well, it wasn't.

A year later, only Shinji knew how to drive it, Asuka giving up after her third attempt at trying to learn. Shinji had offered to teach her once, but she had shot it down quickly. Some of her bitterness towards him for being the better Eva Pilot may have still been lingering.

Slamming the car doors, Asuka and Shinji leaned back in the seats until Shinji asked, "Where do you want to go?"

Asuka hadn't even thought of this yet, and put a finger under her chin as a puzzled expression passed over her face. Shinji quickly looked away, not wanting to be encapsulated by her cute expression.

"Err...can we just go straight to the trees? We can see Tokyo-3 on the way there..."

Shinji turned to look at Asuka and saw that her eyes were waving back and forth expectantly. Knowing that there was no possible way he could refute her when she was looking like that, Shinji simply gulped and nodded once, before putting the car in gear and driving slowly out of the parking lot.

During the five years since Third Impact had been avoided, Tokyo-3 had gone through several changes, one of them being that the entire government had been moved there. The Japanese government felt it better for the capital to be closer to Nerv.

Nerv of course had gone through its own changes. With the Evangelions no longer existing, they had to decide what they stood for, and there were a lot of world government that still blamed Nerv for the attacks made by the angels, even these five years later. But after the war, much of Tokyo-3 was in a state of ruin, and Nerv headed the rebuilding process. Five years later, Tokyo-3 looked much the same, if not better. Nerv had streamlined the city using the technology it learned over the past decade. The terraforming process had even started, though that was still expected to take several more years until the craters left by the Eva Units would be fixed. All in all though, it was as though nothing had ever happened.

With it being winter though, the city was completely unrecognizable. The skyscrapers looked like giant Christmas trees that were coated in white powder. Every building had some form of a Christmas decoration, whether it was lights outlining the windows, awnings that were covered in silk, or mistletoe hanging from some certain shops that Shinji very deliberately steered clear of. He wouldn't put it past Asuka to kiss him just because a mistletoe told her to. She got rather stubborn during Christmas.

Asuka had once been stubborn, self-centered, and had a superiority complex to boot. Now, the only thing that remained was the stubborn part of her, and during Christmas, it only got worse. During there first Christmas as college students, Asuka had insisted upon both her and Shinji doing gifts exchanges with not only themselves, but other people in there classes. If Shinji was annoyed by it, then his classmates were about ready to commit mass suicide. Since nobody had ended up doing it (except for Shinji of course), they had gone to that Christmas party instead. There, both of them experienced alcohol for the first time.

Shinji could handle himself well enough, but Asuka turned into Misato when she even had a sip of wine. Shinji suspected that it was the German in her. He could only remember too well how he had eventually picked up a semi-conscious Asuka, slung her over his shoulders, and carried her out to the car where he got to listen to her ramble for an hour and a half on the ride home about how much she cared for him, and how everyone else in the class were assholes. He still hadn't told Asuka the whole story, and he rather suspected she didn't want to hear it herself. She was embarrassed enough every time Shinji briefly mentioned it. Maybe she even remembered some of what she said?

But this Christmas would be different. No parties, no alcohol, no other people bothering them. Just them together and-

'And what?' thought Shinji as he drove down one of Tokyo-3's many highways. Asuka was plastered against the passenger side window, trying to see everything that passed by them.

Shinji was still puzzled by this idea that they would be alone on Christmas. They were alone so much as it was that the effect had worn off long ago, probably during the times they spent at Misato's apartment. It probably wouldn't even be any different. Though as he had heard from several of his friends at college, if you confessed to someone you loved on Christmas Eve as the clock strikes midnight, you'd be with that person forever.

"Sounds like something you'd read in those stupid Shoujo manga," voiced Shinji.

"Shoujo?" asked Asuka as she turned her head towards Shinji.

"Sorry, talking out loud," mumbled Shinji.

Asuka watched him for a moment longer before she shrugged and said, "If you say so."

Shinji sweat dropped slightly, thinking that she might have heard him say something else. But seriously, something like that would never happen.

'And thank God for that,' thought Shinji.


Driving in the snow was slow and meticulous, and Shinji was driving with extra caution since this was his first time driving in the snow. Asuka had voiced her opinion on this already a few times, and Shinji had told her, 'We'll get there when we get there,' giving an answer like that of what a grownup would, which irritated Asuka. Though after several long minutes of silence, Shinji eventually found the place he was searching for.

"Finally," grumbled Asuka as she unbuckled her seatbelt and started putting on her coat.

"You're lucky I remember seeing this place," said Shinji as he too unbuckled.

"Yeah, yeah," said Asuka as she tucked her hair into the back of the jacket. "And remember, you are wearing that jacket when you go out there."

"Right...I know," said Shinji instantly giving in.

"We wouldn't want you getting sick right before Christmas," beamed Asuka.

"There are still two weeks left."

"Two weeks in which you could get sick."

"Sometimes you remind me of Misato," whispered Shinji.

"What was that?" asked Asuka, her voicing rising quickly.

"Nothing," said Shinji hurriedly.

Asuka paused for a second before she said, "Thats what I thought. Now c'mon, I wanna pick one out so we can come back and get it tomorrow."

Shinji didn't bother pointing out that this theory had some problems, but he was thinking about Misato now. He wasn't sure why or how, but Asuka seemed to dislike Misato a great deal, and he had never really asked her about it. He wondered if it was because she didn't support them when they had left Nerv, but she had plenty of things she had to deal with herself after the war. In all honesty, he was rather surprised that Asuka was even talking with him right now, after the witting remark that he had just made. But he guessed it was just a sign of the Christmas spirit in her. Asuka was a bit like a child at times.

Stepping out of the car, they both walked side by side towards the gated fence and opened it. Rows upon rows of Christmas trees stood side by side, just waiting for somebody to pick them. Shinji had no idea where they were imported from, but knew that none of them were from Japan. From the look of things, you could just choose whichever one you wanted, get the number of the tree on the tag that hung off of one of the branches, pay for it, and then someone would take it to your car. It seemed too simple, and Shinji shuddered to think of what the price was.

"We can worry about that tomorrow," said Asuka, reading his thought as she walked around a particular tall tree. "Hmmm, this one isn't bad, but it needs to be trimmed, and the bottom would have to be cut down slightly to fit in your living room. What do you think Shinji?"

"Looks fine to me," mumbled Shinji. He was all to aware that this conversation sounded like that of a married couple.

"Could you be any more enthusiastic?" wondered Asuka.

"Only if I try," said Shinji halfheartedly.

Asuka turned away from him while rolling her eyes, and mumbling something about men.

"I think we can do better though," said Asuka as she looked around at the surrounding trees. She started wandering at the individual trees now, peering under each of them and measuring their height with her eyes. Shinji watched her in silence, wishing more than anything that they could just be done and get back to their apartment.

'My apartment,' he corrected.

"Hmmm, this one doesn't look that bad," said Asuka, standing up and examining the tree she was looking at. "Yeah, it has enough branches, isn't too tall, and is rather cute at that. Plus it'll look good in the living room, and then theres of course the smell of pine-"

'Is this ever going to stop?' wondered Shinji as he hung his head. Seeing this though, Asuka turned towards him and said, "You're really not enjoying this, are you?"

"How'd you guess?" said Shinji.

Asuka raised an eyebrow, clearly annoyed at how he was acting. Knowing that he was being stupid, Shinji sighed and said, "Sorry...its just that...this Christmas...it'll just be the two of us."

Asuka blinked, clearly unclear by what this meant.

"Nobody is going to be bothering us," continued Shinji. "I don't know if it should be any different..."

"Why would it be different?" asked Asuka. "Its not like anything has changed from last year or the years before..."

"No...you're right," said Shinji. "But its not just that either...getting a tree and everything. I guess, I've never experienced Christmas that much, so its still a surprise every year when it comes around."

"How can it be a surprise? We've been together for the past five Christmas's, and every time we got a tree."

"You can't call what Misato got a tree," smiled Shinji.

"No, I suppose you can't," laughed Asuka, remembering what he was referring to. During the Christmas when they were at Misato's apartment, she had bought a very cheap plastic tree and hung pine air fresheners on it.

"We still doing the gift exchange?" asked Shinji.

Asuka thought about this for a moment before she said, "It'll only be the two of us, so I don't know...should we?"

Shinji stared at her for a while then, as though finally seeing Asuka in a different light.

"I think so," he said eventually. "Its something that we've done every year, so its something like a...tradition I guess you can say. And you still want to do it after all."

"Do not," said Asuka stubbornly as she turned her head away, but Shinji could see her lips slightly smiling.

"Alright then...same thing as usual: get each other the same price gift. What should it be."

"We can worry about that later," said Asuka as she spun around, her hair coming dislodged from the jacket so that it spilled over her shoulders. "What do you think of this tree?"

Actually caring now, Shinji walked up to the tree and examined it.

"Hmmm, well, you are right, it does have plenty of branches, though this one side is a bit bare, but we can put that side against the wall to hide it I suppose. Have you thought about whats going on top? Angel or star?"

"Like we'd ever consider putting an angel at the top," scoffed Asuka.

"I suppose you have a point," said Shinji. "Alright, star it is. And after we get the tree tomorrow, do want to pick up some ornaments?"

"I think I would like that," Asuka said as she looked at the top of the tree and at the empty branches.

"Alright...but we should probably start heading home...we still have to put the grocery's away and the traffic is going to bad."

"I suppose," said Asuka as she gave the tree one last look.

"Don't worry, it'll be there tomorrow," said Shinji reassuringly.

"Yeah, I know," said Asuka as she looked at the tree, making it all too apparent that she wanted it now.


The drive home wasn't as bad as Shinji had predicated, and he thought that had something to do with the snow. Looking back on it, he was rather glad he had bought a manual transmission engine. After dropping the car off at the parking garage directly next to there apartment building, him and Asuka rode the elevator up to the eleventh floor where their apartments were. Arriving at Shinji's front door, he fished the key out of his pocket and opened it, immediately being greeted by a blast of hot air.

"Ah, that feels good," sighed Asuka as she stepped over the threshold.

"I'll got put on some hot chocolate, or would you prefer coffee now that we have some?"

"Cocoa is fine," said Asuka. "I don't want to be up late tonight."

Carrying the grocery's into the kitchen, they both set them down on the counter and started going through everything, placing the items where they needed to go. It was amazing how fluid their motions were in correlations to each other. They never bumped into each other once, making it look like they were dancing together.

With the grocery's put away, and two steaming mugs of hot chocolate in their hands, they both sat at the kitchen table. Asuka had finally discarded some of the layers of clothing she was wearing and thrown them in the far corner. Shinji finally saw what she was wearing under the jacket, and saw that it was indeed a long sleeve shirt emblazoned with an emblem that looked like an upside down heart.

Sipping the cocoa quietly, Asuka looked over at the time and right on cue, her stomach started grumbling. Shinji looked at the clock on the stove and then back at Asuka before saying, "I'll get started on dinner then."

"...Thanks," whispered Asuka as she took another small sip of the cocoa, feeling extremely embarrassed. Shinji didn't care though; he thought it was funny.

After an hour of preparation, the small table and parts of the counter were littered with Shinji's excellent cooking. Asuka was thoroughly pleased with the German meal, and feeling very sleeping at this point. Lolling her head from one side of the kitchen table to the other, she almost ended up knocking over her refilled mug of hot chocolate before Shinji managed to stop her. Looking down at the very sleepy Asuka, Shinji couldn't help but smile.

"You should probably head home if you're that tired," said Shinji.

"No...I can...stay for a little...longer," said Asuka as her eyes opened and closed slowly, her eyelashes fluttering each time.

"You almost just knocked over your hot chocolate...which likely would have spilled all over your jeans. You should really go to sleep Asuka."

"Hmmm...maybe...you have a point...Shinji..."

"I do. So before anything else happens, just-"

Asuka suddenly started falling sideways, sleeping finally taking her. Shinji, thankfully, managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

"Damn it Asuka," sighed Shinji. He shouldn't have made the second cup of hot chocolate for her. And it wasn't even eight o' clock.

Wrinkling his brow slightly, he eventually shrugged and grabbed her by the shoulders while tucking his other arm under legs so that he carried her bridal style. Reaching his own front door, he ignored his own shoes but bent down to grab Asuka's before place them upon her chest which was slowly rising and falling in rhythm with her breathing.

'How did I ever get stuck with such a troublesome girl?' thought Shinji.

Walking the few feet of distance between their apartments, Shinji didn't even bothering trying to grab the spare key that he knew Asuka kept in the space above the door frame. He simply turned the door knob and let himself in. Asuka rarely locked her front door, which always made him extremely anxious.

Walking through her apartment in the dark was slightly eerie, but he eventually managed to find his way into the living room where he placed Asuka down on the sofa. He would have taken her to her own room, but that was place was off limits, whether Asuka was awake or unconscious. Grabbing some blankets and a pillow out of a nearby closest, he tucked the pillow under Asuka's head before throwing the blanket over her, tucking the edges under the couch cushions. He wanted to be sure she stayed warm.

"You're lucky I do this for you," sighed Shinji as he stepped back from her. "Not many guys would put up with this." Though he had to admit it, he enjoyed this sometimes, being allowed to take of her, to know that she trusted him.

"Well...I guess I'll see you tomorrow morning as usual. Night Asuka..."

Stepping out the living room Shinji turned towards the front door before he heard a soft mumble of-

"Night Shinji..."

Pausing ever so slightly, Shinji didn't bother to check whether she was sleeping or not, and just let himself leave the apartment, locking it as he went. He would sleep better knowing that it was locked.

Stepping back into his own apartment, he slowly started cleaning away the mess from dinner but gave up and retreated to his bedroom where he threw himself on his bed. Feeling rather exhausted himself, Shinji rolled over onto his side and stared at the wall where he knew Asuka was only a few feet away from him.

'No point worrying about it,' he eventually thought. 'Whatever happens...happens, I suppose.'

He wasn't so sure of that though, and let it slide. He'd deal with it tomorrow, or the next day...

...But he had to admit it, this wasn't so bad. Spending Christmas Together that is...