A/N: Honestly, I think this chapter has to be worth the reading. Took me three damn days to finish thinking it. R/R
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Help me
A red haired woman walked through the halls of NERV's special hospital, her intention repeating itself in her mind: to find the Second Child. She finally reaches her intended target as she sees the girl, walking with a murderous look towards the outside
"Pilot Sohryu!"
Asuka turns around, her look still bearing clear rage. Apparently, she wants nothing from the science woman.
"What do you want? You came here to just make more trouble than your precious Sixth Child?"
"What? No, of course not. Then again, I don't think all the blame falls on Dorian" At the mention of the kid, Asuka frowns, her mind reminding her of the kid.
"Of course, after all he came up with our winning strategy, right? The wonderful Dorian with his all mighty thinking" Asuka's voice was faking an adoration tone.
"It's not about his performance, it's about yours. You seemed rather… quiet, to my view. I have seen recordings of your previous battles, and your acting in this case is far behind the other ones"
Asuka changes her look, looking deeply wounded. She wishes to just slap the woman and walk away. But she has a point: her performance was absolutely horrible, and she had also been overshadowed by the British boy. She looks back at her, this time with a softer look.
"Maybe… maybe I did act less aggressive."
"It's not about your aggressiveness; it's about your overall performance. The angel owned no tricks the previous ones didn't: it attacked from the sea and managed to incapacitate a pilot, but there was nothing too special about him. You could have easily taken him down, yet you refrained."
"Misato… ordered me to do so"
"Misato also ordered you to retreat when you were attacking the Angel's AT field, yet you held your position"
"It was different: I could destroy the Angel's AT field, but I couldn't actually take him out all on my own"
"I would say you underestimate yourself"
Asuka allowed the words to sink in: she had backed off from the Angel because she looked defeated, not because she couldn't kill it. Killing the Angel was definitely possible, she just hadn't tried harder.
"You are very special, Asuka Sohryu. You are the only pilot to have earned her place here, all the other ones had the position handed over to them in a silver platter. You are the only to have proved yourself worthy of the position, not just have it as a gift. Look at Rei: specifically prepared for this since the beginning, she became a pilot because she had no other purpose in life. Then there's Shinji: his father chose him because he knew he would accept, as he owns the kind nature of the common people, and he also wishes to prove himself worthy of living by any means possible. The Fourth and Fifth Child are no cases to talk about, and then there's Dorian: he is probably the only one to come a little closer to where you are, but by no means has he owned the experience or expertise you own"
Asuka thought of Lentai's words: she was the only one to have really fought for her place there, all the other ones had it easy. She was the only one who really deserved her Eva; the other ones had them handed in a silver platter. Yet, she couldn't really admit the truth of Lentai's words; something inside her didn't allow it.
"All of them own a reason of pure desperation to pilot, but you are different. You have so much more than just this; you have the world open to you, ready to give you everything you want. You also have the natural talent for this and the guts. So I suggest you stop under valuing yourself and start showing your real skills" With that, Lentai walked away, leaving the girl to think and understand. She didn't go too far, for Asuka spoke again
"No. That's not true, maybe I'm the only one to have proved myself, but that doesn't make the other ones unworthy. Look at Shinji, he has the highest amount of Angels killed. Look at Wondergirl; she is willing to do anything she is ordered to just to complete her mission. Hell, you could even look at that English idiot, putting his balls on the line just to kill the Angel."
"Then you think they are worthy of piloting alongside you? That doesn't sound like the Asuka everybody knows"
"Why do you know so much about us?"
"What?"
"You… seem to know us, deeply. You know our behavior, our reasons, and our origins. Hell, you probably know more about us three than anyone at NERV. So tell me, why do you know so much?"
"Do you not remember? We have talked before, Asuka Langley Sohryu. We met almost ten years ago. It surprises me you don't recall our meeting, as it was the day you were declared the Second Child, and also the day Kyoko hanged herself" The memory slowly comes back to Asuka: she had seen Lentai on that day, the day they declared her a pilot. The day her mother died. Lentai interviewed her on that day, and she had been the one to declare her a pilot for the first time.
"I… I remember. You asked me why I wanted to pilot"
"And you said it was to have the entire world like you and recognize you. It was an answer that I know came from Kyoko's attitude. She no longer acknowledged you as her daughter, did she? So, lacking of a mother or a father, you looked for a way for people to care about you, and you found the solution in becoming a pilot"
"Shut up! You have no right to talk about my mother!" Asuka raised her fist at her, clearly intend on hitting her
"Don't get violent Asuka. Soon you will find out that words are stronger than fists." She walked away, this time managing to leave the girl.
Asuka stood there, thinking of the woman's words. She knew too much, so much to the point of knowing her deepest secret. Also, she had insulted the other pilots, and Asuka chose to defend them, as she knew her words were not the truth. She didn't notice that a camera was watching her, the conversation she had with Lentai tapped and taken to the interested person.
NERV HQ, Gendo's office.
Gendo smiled as he watched the tape, the chat between the Second Child and Lentai reaching his ears. He knew all too well Lentai's motives, so he knew this was a serious improvement in the realization of his scenario.
"May I know why you have let her run through the halls of NERV creating trouble? As far her work goes, she already created a lot of problems for our plans" Fuyutski's voice broke through the silence of Gendo's thinking.
"She doesn't create problems, just seems to. Truthfully, she is just another tool of us"
"How is she a tool if she is clearly working against our scenario?"
"Easy, she isn't. She just thinks she is. I have allowed a lot of knowledge to reach her mind, but not everything. She is aware of more things than anyone else below us, but she still doesn't know of the Instrumentality project."
The Instrumentality project, that almighty goal they were trying to reach since almost ten years ago, since Yui's demise. Fuyutski knew only a few people around the world were aware of the project that wished to evolve mankind, SEELE and himself included.
"You are telling me that her work on separating men and Eva is going to help us?"
"Her works is the last piece we need for a perfect plan. She seeks to separate the Evas from humans, making each independent from the other one. She thinks her pacifist reasoning will eventually lead to a world were Evas fight wars for men, but without risking the men"
"That's impossible"
"Not if project Judas succeeds"
"Project Judas? So she is really trying to make Evas work independently from men?"
"Exactly. She thinks her project will stop the Evas from deciding the fate of men, but in reality she is just pushing that outcome further into being. Her project seeks to turn Evas into controllable machines, machines that will be commanded by hundreds of brains at unreachable distances."
"And this will help us?"
"Do you remember why I called against the order to initiate the Instrumentality project after the seventeenth's dead?"
"You said you doubted of the security of mankind during the process of Instrumentality"
"Right. I backed off because of a single person: Rei. She is the only creature capable of initiating Third Impact in my desired way. But something changed in her. I noticed a change in her attitude. Her natural coldness was vanishing. Fuyutski, Rei was initially a being that owned no freedom or personality, but that changed. She developed a will and a personality, and she developed her own way of thinking. You saw her actions in the battle against the eighteenth: she contradicted Katsuragi's orders and chose to stay and help the other pilots. This is what came to the point of scaring me. What if she altered Instrumentality? She could now choose on her own, she was no longer a puppet of ours, so she could alter the process. She became a risk for Instrumentality"
"Yes, that's true. But why Doctor Lentai's research helps us in this case?"
"Her research is the answer to our last problem: the possibility of men interfering in his salvation. She developed a system that can make Evas literally function unmanned, destroying the so called "Human Factor" in our calculations. She will make our project a fool-proof device to evolve mankind. As we won't need a pilot for the Evas any longer if she succeeds, we will be able to control Instrumentality directly, and won't have to relay on another person. We will ensure the final evolution of mankind"
"This is why she knows so much, right?"
"She thinks she knows everything, but she is knows what we allowed her to know in order to fit with our scenario. I gave her the information she looked for, she analyzed it and decided her course of action. But the information I gave her was selected so she would come up with the desired course of action. She found out what I wanted her to find out, and chose to do as I wanted her to do"
"So we will just let her play the know-it-all around NERV until…"
"Until she turns useless"
Gendo allowed a smile to cross his face. Instrumentality was now assured, thanks to Doctor Jeyn Lentai.
Control room, NERV.
"Lieutenant Ibuki, I was hoping you could show me the progress on Unit 05 and its current upgrade" Ritsuko's voice took Ibuki away from her somnolence.
"Ahh, yes, of course." She started tipping until a new file opened in the screen: it was the file containing the design of Unit 05, and its current state.
"The construction team has already installed all of the regular Eva components. The Unit will be transferred in two days to the Matsushiro proving grounds for the installation of the L-Model S2 engine and future testing"
"Has the pilot for the Unit been briefed for it yet?"
"The Unit will undergo several tests for the S2 engine before being declared a usable unit, so the activation test won't start at least until half a week from now"
"I see. So, is there any other task still not completed on the Unit's construction?"
"No sir"
"Great, now Maya, I was wondering about the work you've been forced to do with Doctor Lentai"
"I don't see it as forced, because although it is an order I can't contradict, I don't feel uncomfortable working with Doctor Lentai" Maya knew the direction of this conversation was wrong; Doctor Akagi was questioning her loyalty to her. It was surprising how Lentai and Akagi could be antagonists inside the same organization.
"I know. But I'm asking you about the projects, not about her"
"It's classified information Doctor Akagi"
"Yes, but I will be informed eventually, so why not just tell me now Maya?" Akagi knew Maya's loyalties were with her, but she was pushing them so she could find out about Lentai.
"I... can't Doctor. It's been entrusted to me as classified, and it shall remain so."
Maya left the room, running towards the resting room, a place she usually didn't visit. Her face showed tears, as Ritsuko had clearly broken the young woman's spirit. But she had done it for her own good: Lentai couldn't be allowed to just operate without restrains.
Ritsuko smiled as she noticed she achieved her goal: Maya had left her terminal with all of the files opened, and her security clearances revealed.
Ritsuko sat in the terminal and started tipping; quickly entering the required passwords Maya had unwillingly left her. She managed to find a file titled "Project Restoration". She read the content, finding Lentai's and Maya's personal notes on it along the description:
Project Restoration
The project, postulated by scientists Jeyn Lentai and Albert Kazegawa from the Fourth NERV Branch in London, started its work on November 13th, 2015. The project served the purpose of another of Lentai's projects: the Evangelion Control Project. The project seeks to recover damaged or destroyed Evangelions and other organic components through cellular restoration, based on the cells recovered form the First Angel: Adam. The cells were found through the miraculous discovery of a box containing elements that belonged to Doctor Katsuragi, who demised during the Second Impact. The box contained some papers of importance, some personal elements, but most importantly, a sample of cellular tissue taken from Adam's body, the father of all Angels. During the cell reconstruction, many patrons were lost due to negligence, but a few genes managed to survive the manipulation. Among them, was the genetic patron that regulates and enables Angelic beings to regenerate, this being the base of the restoration project. The project used the genetic patron to create a special cell. This new cell is genetically incomplete, but the main elements are still intact. As the Evangelions are made in Adam's similarity, their genetic patron matches about 85 of Adam's patron. The specific parts of the chain are naturally filled by the Eva as the cell merges with the dead cells of the Eva. The new cells use the information from the dead ones to recreate the Evas genetic chain and include the new components to their patron. This can be considered not only the restoration of an Evangelion, but also a clear enhancement in their capabilities, as they now include the Angelic power of a certain degree of regeneration, and the capability to project similar waveform patterns to those of the Angels, allowing the Eva to break an Angel's AT field with a lesser effort. The project is literally turning the Evas a step further into their goal: the recreation of the power the Angels bear, or more specifically, Adam. The outcome of the project can be resumed as the automatic reconstruction of an Evangelion, at least in the main components. The reconstruction of the specific components relays on the technicians and scientists. The Evangelion reconstructs about 78 of itself thanks to the Angelic patron that allows regeneration.
Lentai's Notes:
The project is currently being implemented in the remains of Unit 03, as the Unit is the one that presents a more suitable state for regeneration than any other damaged Evas. Also, the choices were very limited. It was using Unit 03, a few of the salvaged remains of Unit 00 (which would prove useless, as the Unit already owns a pilot and therefore won't synchronize with any other) or any of the Rejected Evangelion corpses, which would probably take about a year to fully reconstruct. The schedule forced us to choose a Unit that still owned a certain level of integrity, and Unit 03 was the only one to fill in the requirements.
Ibuki's Notes:
I consider the project is currently going in the correct direction, as the Fourth Child has agreed to reactivate the Unit and the Evangelion Control Project seems to improve. The Unit will probably be the first one to be deployed with the technology developed by the Eva Control Project, allowing the Unit to be deployed without a pilot or dummy plug and be controlled by the MAGI and the Control room's terminals. The MAGI will also undergo an enhancement, as in order to control an Evangelion the capacity of processing and the data storage must be increased, so the new super computer, Judas, will be deployed in the Headquarters to work along the previously existent MAGI's as a computerized battle advisor. Judas will be the main computer to store the data for battles, and the other three MAGIs will have the responsibility of choosing a course of action. Also, Judas will be the main computer to synchronize with the Eva and send the commands for the Unit, as Pilot Kazegawa's interface and data is stored in Judas.
Ritsuko read the last words, not understanding the meaning of them. Kazegawa's interface was deployed in the new computer? Then why not just use the computer as a remote control and have the Sixth Child pilot the Unit from safe distance? I if Judas could connect with the Eva, then Kazegawa could pilot it from a safe distance inside the Geofront. It didn't make any sense
She tipped again, this time looking info of the super computer called Judas.
Project Judas:
The project seeks to create a special super computer like the MAGI that, through the using of a pilot's recorded interface and brain patterns, can synchronize at distance with an Evangelion, literally being a Evangelion remote control. Project Judas was started on August 12th, 2013. The project initially created the super computer in the London's Fourth NERV Branch, under the supervision of Doctor Lentai and Doctor Kazegawa, but the project was relocated after the uploading of the pilot's interface and brain patterns ended up killing the pilot. Currently, Judas is on process of being redeployed in the NERV HQ in the Geofront, and the project remains in Doctor Lentai's supervision. Judas is ready to start operations, but the lack of an Evangelion assignable to Judas has delayed the process. Currently, Evangelion Unit 03 is undergoing repairs through the restoration project, which envisions redeploying a damaged Evangelion to test Judas's capabilities.
They were no notes in the file, and this time, Ritsuko tipped a new entry for searching:
"Search: Pilot Kazegawa"
The response took a while, but it was clear and simple
"Search results: 2 Files"
"File 1: Kazegawa, Dorian."
"File 2: Kazegawa, Demian."
Ritsuko reads the two names, unable to understand what's going on.
"Access file: Kazegawa, Demian"
As the file opens and Ritsuko looks at it, a cold hand touches her shoulder
"I always knew you were a damn nosy woman"
Ritsuko turns around only to find the figure of Jeyn Lentai.
"Busted"
"You couldn't have said that better Rits"
"It's not like I'm the one hiding stuff"
"I hide stuff because I was ordered to, so I have nothing to explain to you"
"That doesn't sound like the know-it-all Jeyn Lentai, sounds more like if you were a pawn in an organization"
Jeyn stared at the woman with pure hatred, as she had touched her most sensitive place: her ego, her pride. She knew so much more than Ritsuko, but she was unable to show it off
"I know what you are trying to do, Rits"
"You probably do, but that won't stop you from telling me, right?"
Jeyn thought about the situation: letting Ritsuko know wouldn't bring her any real trouble, plus, she might even manage to enlist Akagi's help, so why not….
"Right. I think I will let you know, Rits. But then again, what do you want to know?"
"I managed to understand the projects on my own. But I don't understand their final goal. The files say they are linked, but I don't see the connection between them and your goals."
"The connection is simple: the projects I'm working on will allow an Eva to: 1. Work without a external power source, 2. Self regenerate on their own and 3. Work without a human pilot. The link between them is my goal: to separate the fate of mankind from the Evangelions. No more humans will be needed to maintain, repair or pilot Evas, making them independent robots commanded by a massive super computer"
"The S2 engine… is to separate the Evas from depending of human power. The self regeneration is to allow them to heal in any place at any time, and Project Judas will allow Evas to be controlled by a computer. Jeyn, are you trying to kill us?"
"What?"
"Just think about it. You will turn the Evas on the perfect war machine. Before you know it, the wars, the destruction, the human slaughtering: all will be done by unmanned Evangelions. Not only that, but also I happen to know your projects haven't been all that clean"
"…What?"
"According to the files, pilot Demian Kazegawa died during the initial tests of project Judas."
Once again, Jeyn's look changed to one of pure hatred, remembering the incident. The kid had volunteered, and he knew the possible outcomes of the experiment. But that wasn't the problem. The problem had been the repercussions of his death. Her daughter, Cremina, had entered a serious depression that forced Jeyn to back off from her work, due to the fact she had been friends with the kid. Cremina almost backed off from her pilot duties when she knew of the incident, and Jeyn had to do everything in her power to keep her in the program. Also, Kazegawa's brother, Dorian, almost chose to do the same and retire. She had to use every available trick in her hands to keep them from retiring. That was perhaps the only crack in Jeyn's identity: the incident with Demian. It didn't affect her, but it deeply touched everyone around her, and made them despise her for putting the kid in such a risk and early death.
"May I know how can you continue such a project after it became bloodstained?"
"Easy Ritsuko. If I have regretted one thing in my life, it must abandoning project E. So, the last words I heard from a person in that project still ring in my head, and they also happen to be my answer to you: The goal is worth the sacrifices."
Ritsuko understood the words belonged to her last conversation with Jeyn, and chose to give in. She would never get Jeyn to stop project Judas, so she chose to pass along it for now.
"Now, about the restoration project I need to know the goal of it"
"Mainly, the goal is to repair Unit 03 and put another Eva in work for project Judas. But I'm starting to think the answer is not Unit 03. What would you say if I told I have noticed a certain weakness in the Second Child and her piloting?"
"Asuka? You want to use Unit 02 for your sick project? That's stupid. Asuka is probably the only one among the pilots that would refuse to give up Eva. Also, I don't think she owns a weakness in her piloting"
"It's more a mental than physical weakness. I had a talk with her, and couldn't avoid noticing her instability when I mentioned Kyoko's dead."
"Kyoko's dead is no subject you should talk about with her"
"Oh, it is! It happens that I selected Asuka over the other candidates, and so it is my power to… contradict my own decisions. I can see that Kyoko's dead brought her to an instability I didn't notice in my last interview with her: I figured her becoming a pilot would help Kyoko recover her sanity, but I had the unfortunate luck that Kyoko hanged herself a few hours after my last interview with Asuka. Literally the scenario changed a few hours after I made my choice."
"You want… you want Asuka to stop piloting?"
"Exactly. Her mental health is doubtful, so as I also need to clear an Eva for project Judas, it comes very I handy for me"
"No"
"What?"
"You can't, you can't just take away the reason why she is here. It's not fair!"
Ritsuko's sudden anger surprised Jeyn, as she noticed that Ritsuko seemed to care for the pilots
"I see those kids have softened you up Rits. Well, I guess I could chose differently, but I need Asuka to improve her performance, and I also need your help"
"My help?"
"Yes. You own all security clearances for the MAGI, and I will need them to initiate project Judas. So, either you cooperate and Asuka may still have a chance, or you don't and I will not only get rid of her, but also of you"
Ritsuko thought about Jeyn's words. She was right; standing up for a bunch of kids was not common to her. But they had been through so much, so many sacrifices and penalties, that taking away this last part of their lives was plain unfair. Also, she now had only two options: she cooperated, or everything would act against her. She chose to cooperate.
"All right, I accept."
As the two women closed their deal, a figure ran away from the Control room, having listened to the last part of the talk between the two women and their deal. Ritsuko and Jeyn didn't notice, but it was the figure of Asuka Sohryu.
A few hours later, Misato's House
The noise of a door opening is heard through the apartment as Asuka walks in. She immediately goes to her room and shuts the door, putting a chair to lock it. She sprawls over her bed, and allows tears to run through her face: Lentai wants to get rid of her, and she has every argument to do so. She sobs as the words of long ago come back to her head:
"Unfit to pilot"
"No…
"Unfit to pilot"
"No!"
"Unfit to pilot"
"NO!"
She screams her last thought, not noticing. She sobs even harder as the reality of her situation dawns on her: she has to become the less expendable pilot, or otherwise everything will end. But that means someone will get kicked out, and they were only three pilots left.
Something inside her told her not to even think about making Shinji lose, as she cared for the boy, not much, but enough to choose him over the other ones. Dorian and Rei were another story: the British kid was a serious bother for her, but yet she couldn't bring herself to truly despise him to the point of wanting him kicked out. Rei was the next possibility, but not only she was Ikari's preferred pilot, she had nothing else besides piloting. She couldn't let the girl lose her only true purpose in life.
"Then who?"
Who? Who would be kicked out?
"Not me"
No, it couldn't be her. She could not give up. Piloting was her greatest achievement; she wouldn't allow a mad science woman to take it away from her. As Jeyn had said: she was the only one to have proved her worthiness for piloting.
"But who, who will be rejected?"
Not her. Anyone but not her. Also, maybe she could allow…
"Asuka? Are you all right?" The voice of Shinji breaks through the sound of Asuka's sobbing. She hides her face and yells to the kid behind the door
"Go away! I'm fine, you idiot! I don't you to be worried about me!"
She repeats her words in her mind, realizing the harshness of them. It wasn't true, she was not fine, she didn't want him to leave and she definitely needed someone to care about her right now
"Come on Asuka, let me in!" It surprises Asuka how Shinji doesn't give up, evidently showing more spine than usual.
"Maybe he really cares"
In a moment of weakness, she stands up from her bed and removes the chair, allowing the boy to come in. She goes back to her bed and talks.
"You… can come in idiot"
The door slides open and Shinji comes in, bearing a look of concern. He watches the depressing image: Asuka lies on her bed, her sobbing breaking the silence and her sniffing moving the bed slightly. Then she speaks to the kid
"What do you want?"
"I… I was wondering… if you were all right"
"Do I look fine to you! Damn, you are such an idiot!"
Shinji looks back at the open door, considering his options. He wants to run away, to back off from the conflict, but something forces him to stay, a concern that overcomes his fears.
"I… I want to know, Asuka. I want to know what's going on"
"…"
Asuka looks back at the kid, her face no longer showing anger, but a despair Shinji has never seen on her: it is the same despair he knows all too well, the despair that came to him when he thought of himself, of his fears.
"If you really don't want to tell me, ok. But I think it would be better to talk, Asuka. Think about it: how much has it helped you to hide behind your walls? It has only brought you more pain and despair; it has brought only more conflicts. Please Asuka, let me know"
Asuka is taken back by the kid's speech, realizing he is no longer afraid of her. He is putting their "friendship" at stake just to know, just because he cares. Shinji is risking their relationship just because he cares for her, contradicting his own fearful nature.
And Asuka chooses to reward his effort.
Asuka stands up from her bed a second time, hugging Shinji and sobbing on his chest. Now, just for now, she has allowed herself a moment of weakness. Not everything is piloting, for they are people who care about her. Shinji cares about her.
"Asuka, what's wrong?"
"They... No, wait. She. She wants me to stop piloting. Lentai wants to have my Eva work without a pilot. She wants me out" She sobs again as she finishes, crying even harder on the boy's chest.
"What? No, she can't do that!"
"She directs the Marduk: she was the one to choose me. And so, she can change her choice" Sob. Cry, they all follow her words.
"No! She can't! There's… there's got to be something we can do"
"She… she needs an Eva for one of her sick projects, so one of us is getting kicked out"
Asuka thinks about her answer, a realization dawning on her: She originally said that she was restoring Unit 03 for her project, so there was a slight chance they could all get through this.
"Shinji, that's it! Lentai is repairing Unit 03 for her project, if we can hold long enough for the restoration to complete, we can all stay piloting"
The answer falls on Shinji like a miracle: they might still have a chance. Also, further conclusions form on his mind: that's why Jeyn wanted Toji to pilot again, because she needed another Eva working for her project. If she plans to get rid of the pilot eventually, Toji might still have a chance to be normal.
"I… think we can get through this Asuka, but I need you to help me" The boy expects Asuka to refuse, as other idea he gives gets the same answer. But the rejection never came
"I… All right. If you can promise me that everything will work out, I guess I can help you, Shinji"
Shinji understands the true meaning of her words: if he says yes, he will have the obligation to work out the problem. If he fails to do so, the girl will crumble down, him being responsible.
It's a great cross to carry around, because if he drops it, he will responsible for the consequences, Asuka's rejection being the biggest one in his mind.
He balances the stakes, noticing the answer "no" seems to win
But something brings the balance to lean in the contrary side.
As Shinji looks at Asuka's eyes, he understands the sudden change: the factor that made the balance change is his affection for the German girl.
His heart skips a beat as he realizes this, feeling his true emotions come out, wanting to reach out for the girls face, wanting to feel her lips… But another thought crosses his mind: that of acceptance
"All right Asuka, I promise everything will work out"
The girl brushes off the tears from her eyes and hugs the boy even tighter, all in silence. Shinji stays on the spot, enjoying the moment of understanding they have. For a brief moment, he feels the girl's gratefulness reach out for him. He keeps enjoying the moment, for he knows the next day everything will be the same: she would still be the fiery German girl, and he would still be the submissive Japanese boy. But for now, they are the same, just friends comforting each other.
"I should start making dinner"
Shinji decides to break the moment, as he realizes it can't last forever and finds he will to stop. But the feelings remain with him: he still wants to reach out for the girl and confess his feelings, he just doesn't dare.
Behind him, a similar thought crosses Asuka's mind, not wanting to leave the boy's warm hug. But then, he slides the door shut, and it has ended.
As Shinji walks towards the kitchen, he notices as Misato passes by, her face of total misery.
Looks like someone else needs some help.
And as in other cases, he decides to help, just as Ritsuko, or Asuka, or himself a few moments ago. After all, until now, it has given good results
Or at least that's what he thinks.
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A/N: I still need that Eva-r damned password! Someone be good and please, tell me!
R/R
