Disclaimer: Read the prologue for the disclaimer. I don't own EVA nor will I ever, so there, happy?

Authors Note: I've decided to make this a chapter into something of a "buffer" chapter. This story was meant to be dark and angst but a few of my readers have made a good point about making the story to depressing. So I'm using this chapter to show the lighter side of the story and to show that, even though Asuka and Shinji are saviors of the world, that they are still teenagers with almost normal lives. In this chap I'm going to use Hikari and Toji for the first time (and just so you know, I haven't used them before now because there was no reason to.). So anyways, I hope you all like this chapter as much as the previous ones.

PS: I decided to change the title for this chapter. I'm gonna use the previous title for chapter 7.

Chapter 6: Best Friends

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Shinji Ikari stood waiting at the pre-designated meeting place, outside of the starbucks in New Shinjuku, which he and Toji had agreed upon. Shinji had called his best friend early that morning and asked him to meet him because he had something major to talk to him about but, as usual, Toji was late.

"He's never been late for weight lifting or a basketball game but, he can't get here on time…ain't that a bitch…" mumbled Shinji as he looked down at the clock on his cellphone. "He knows how people react when I'm in public, tha' jerk…"

As if on cue from above a hand landed on Shinji's shoulder with a loud smack. Toji had arrived in the usual fashion.

"Wasup, Shin-man?" asked the slightly taller and much more buff teen. Toji stood about 6' 0" and was still in the same great shape that he always had been since Shinji had met him. His hair was shorter and was spiked in the front. "Sorry about being late but, ya know me."

Shinji sighed at his friend's half-ass apology and smirked at the realization that the jock wouldn't change if the world depended on it.

"Yeah I know. Well whatever, let's go inside and talk" replied Shinji as he turned and walked into the coffee shop followed by his brown skinned companion.

(A/N: Does anyone else find Toji's tan weird? I mean I get that he's into sports and spends time outside but geez…)

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Meanwhile, on the other side of town

"What did you want to talk about Asuka?" asked a concerned Hikari Horaki. The former class rep sat on the couch beside the german girl as she handed her a cup of tea. "…It's about Shinji-kun, isn't it?"

Asuka blushed as her best friend read her like an open book.

"Ugh…am I that obvious? Or is she that mature?" thought Asuka as she took a sip of tea and looked her best friend over. Hikari had matured physically as well as mentally over the last few years. She now stood at the same height as Asuka and had even grown a half-way descent chest. Plus she still had legs to die for. "I must be…because every time we talk, she knows exactly what's on my mind."

"Well it's about him…in a way…" replied Asuka.

"In a way? What kind of way?" asked a perplexed Hikari. "Did something happen between you two?

"No, it's nothing bad per say. It's just that I had a day-dream about him…a very, VERY erotic day-dream." replied the blushing german girl.

"So? You've had dreams about him before, right…" Hikari never finished that thought.

"NO! Not like this one!" yelled Asuka. "For one thing it happened in the shower and I actually had a…ya know…"

Hikari's mouth hung open and her eye's grew wide as the importance of Asuka's little 'fantasy' hit her full-force.

"Y-You mean you…Wow, that is different." said the brown haired girl.

The two girls sat in silence as they both tried to regain what composure they had.

"I can't believe that she had a real orgasm. I mean she always told me that she was a 'no-hitter' when it came to masturbation…Maybe I should ask what happened in that fantasy that made it so…good…" thought Hikari as she glanced at the girl sitting beside her.

"So…Are you gonna tell me about the dream? I want details!" said Hikari as she playful shook Asuka's shoulder. "Come on, it had to have been hot considering your 0 success rate."

Asuka's face turned bright red at the less-than-shy girl's statement.

"Well if you want to know then be quiet and let me tell you about it." said the red-faced girl.

Hikari did as she was told. She turned towards Asuka and smiled, waiting for the story to start.

"Well, in the dream I was washing dishes like I had done about 5 minutes before in real life but, while I was doing that Shinji came up behind me and groped me…instead of push him off I leaned into him and he started to kiss my neck before he turned me to face him and then he pretty much shoved his tongue down my throat." said Asuka as she paused long enough to notice that she was becoming slightly wet from telling the story and that Hikari seemed to be riding her every word with supreme interest. "After that I told him that I needed to…well you get the idea. I drug the dream Shinji into the living room and sat on his lap so that we could make out…Well long story short I ended up buck naked with Shinji eating me like I was a piece of Kobe steak."

Hikari laughed at her friend's need to rush and finish the story

"Haha, I wanted detail! Geez, why are you embarrassed Asuka?" asked Hikari.

"I-I'm not really. It's just that Shinji sort of…asked me out…" said Asuka as she mumbled the last part, forcing Hikari to strain her hearing.

"What did you say?" asked a perplexed Hikari.

Asuka sighed as she realized that she was still talking to her best friend, one of the only people in the entire world that she could trust.

"I'm sorry Hikari. I said that Shinji asked me to be his girlfriend the night he collapsed into that coma. I-I still haven't given him a real answer…although we did kinda…sorta make out…"

Hikari was speechless. She couldn't even comprehend what she'd just heard.

"Di-Did you say that you and Shinji-kun made out? And that he asked you out?" asked a very surprised Hikari. "That's just…wow…"

"It's not that big of a deal." said the red-head.

"Like hell it isn't!" yelled Hikari in an almost angry voice. "You have to tell Shinji-kun how you feel!"

"But…I'm afraid…" replied Asuka as she looked away from her friend. "I don't want to lose Shinji as a friend because of a failed relationship. He means everything to me…"

Hikari felt her heart sink as she felt Asuka emotionally anguish.

"Asuka, you know better than anyone else that Shinji-kun wouldn't stop being your friend even if his life depended on it. He's loved you all this time, Asuka." said Hikari. "Even though it's been nearly 3 years since you met, don't you think he deserves to know that you love him just as much as he loves you?"

"I guess…" replied Asuka as she felt Hikari place her hand on her shoulder.

"Well then tell him already!" exclaimed Hikari as she reached into Asuka's purse and handed the german girl her cellphone. "Call him and tell him that you want to tell him something important, ok?"

Asuka hesitated for a second before she took her phone from the girl.

"Thanks Hikari." said the girl as she dialed Shinji's number.

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Shinji sat sipping his coffee as he watched people walk by the coffee shop. He and Toji had been there for about an hour but, Shinji still hadn't told his friend what he needed to tell him.

"Shinji, if you only invited me here to drink coffee than you should've said that dude." said Toji as he noticed the other boy looking out the window. "I thought you had something you needed to talk about"

Shinji turned away from the window and looked down at his coffee.

"It's about Asuka…" said Shinji.

"Hmmm I should've known." replied the tanned jock.

"Funny...not!" said Shinji as he continued to sip his latte.

"I'm just kiddin' Shin-man. Seriously, what did you wanna say?" asked Toji.

"Well, you can't get mad…okay?" asked Shinji.

Toji arched an eyebrow at the request but, shook his head yes.

"Well, ummm…the night I collapsed, I-I asked Asuka to be my girlfriend…and yesterday we kind of…made out." said the blushing Third Child.

Toji sat completely still in his chair, almost like a statue until a tears began to well up in his eyes. Shinji noticed this and slowly scooted his chair away from the table.

"Uhhh, Toji are you ok?" asked a slightly scared Shinji.

"I'm fine…it's just that…" Toji trailed off as he lunged across the table and out Shinji in a headlock. "It's just that…I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!"

Toji's exclamation drew the immediate attention of everyone in the coffee shop, which caused the jock to blush and release Shinji from his headlock and sat back down.

"Whoops, my bad." said the boy as he scratched the back of his head. "Anyway, I can't believe you finally grew a pair, dude! So tell me, what did the 'Red Devil' say?"

Shinji snorted at Toji's use of Asuka's old nickname.

"Heh, Well that's my problem with the situation…She hasn't answered me, even after last night." replied a dejected Shinji.

Toji quickly noticed his friend's attitude and quickly tried to reassure him.

"Come on man, don't get all emo on me. You should already know that Asuka-chan likes you. I mean everyone at school knows, she's probably just afraid to admit that she has a weakness for you. She's stubborn enough to do something like that, ya know?" stated Toji.

Shinji smiled at Toji's attempt to cheer him up.

"He's clueless but, he's still a good friend." thought Shinji. "Maybe he's right about Asuka…but I just wish that she would tell me herself…"

'You already know that the Second Child cares for you.'

Shinji froze at the sound of that voice. Toji noticed Shinji tensing up and wondered if he was alright.

"Yo Shinji, are you ok buddy?" asked a concerned Toji.

"Oh y-yeah, I'm fine…" replied the nervous teen.

'You're lying to him? What kind of friend are you? Tell him how nervous you are. How you think that Asuka-chan will reject you.'

"That's bullshit…" Shinji's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Toji's voice.

"Shinji? Shinji, your phone's ringing man." said Toji.

"Oh!" exclaimed Shinji as he felt his cellphone vibrating in his pocket and ringing noisily.

Shinji's caller ID read 'Langley, Asuka'. Shinji's hear skipped a beat at the words displayed on the screen.

"Are you gonna answer it or just look like a retard?" asked a sarcastic Toji.

Shinji gave Toji a glare before he flipped his phone open and stood up before raising it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey Shinji-kun."

"Oh…Hi Asuka-chan."

"Well that's a nice way to greet me. Where are you anyway?"

"Oh sorry, I'm hanging with Toji at Starbucks."

"Haha, tell the stooge that I said 'Hi'."

"Haha, I will…So ummm, do you need something?"

"…When you get home…I need to tell you something important."

Shinji felt the color drain from his face at those words.

"Wh-What do you need to tell me?"

"It's nothing bad, if you're wondering and I'll tell you when you get back, ok?"

"Yeah…ok…"

"Talk to you later, Shinji-kun"

Click.

Shinji snapped his phone shut before he turned and sat back down across from Toji.

"Was that Red?" asked the jock.

"Hmmm, yeah it was. She to tell you 'Hey Stooge'." replied Shinji as he watched Toji's eyebrow twitch.

"What did she say anyway?" asked Toji as he played with his, now empty, cup of coffee.

"Oh…She said she needed to tell me something when I got home." replied Shinji as he turned to look out the window.

'She might tell you something good.'

Shinji felt himself shiver at the sound of that voice.

"Maybe you should go home. I'm bet she's finally going to confess her un-dying love for you." said Toji as he made a kiss-kiss face.

Shinji didn't reply. He just watched the people as they walked by as that voice continued to torment him silently.

'Your Afraid…Aren't you?'

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Authors Note: I hope that chapter didn't suck too much because it's kinda short. It wasn't planned if you couldn't tell but, I thought it would be nice to break the mold and listen to my fans and they're ideas. Oh and just so everyone knows, the voice that Shinji hears doesn't have a name because I couldn't think of one. Anyways, I've decided to make this story 8 chapters officially (10 chapters if you include the prologue and epilogue) and I've also come up with 3 ideas for my next fanfics (all of which will be detailed at the end of this note.). Well as always R&R and I hope you enjoyed it.

Next Chapter: Shinji's Dilemma

Stories to come:

The problems of 16 year old god: The Beginning- Shinji awoke on the beach, the smell of blood strong in the air. He thought he was alone, but beside him he saw her…The girl that convinced him to stop instrumentality. He whispered her name, "Asuka…"

Hikari's Sister- Hikari makes the mistake of telling Kodama about the Third Child.

(I think I'm the first person to ever think of this couple, considering that you never even see Kodama in the series, you just hear her name once.)

My Torment- Song fic that portrays Asuka's most destructive moments leading up to her final battle against the Mass-produced EVA Series.

Feedback on my new ideas would be appreciated too!