Standard Disclaimer

Starting to feel a bit better, which is good, and work is getting a little easier as of late which is also good! My cat is still descending into 'kitty-crazy' so that's a bit of a mind jarring Craziness, but we all do what we can I suppose. With the completion of 'The Gift' I've started thinking about the next mash-up for Mercaba and I think I have a good one.

X-X

Due to Chance

Chapter – 10

Flipping through the assortment of files and observation reports, Kaji thumped his left hand against the doorframe to the command deck. Something was up with Tachibana, but he just didn't have the time to get into it personally. A week and a half of Section-2 surveillance equated too little more than learning her address and what time she left her apartment in the morning. If he had his way, Kaji would have dropped the whole lot of them and replaced them with people he knew could do the damn job.

"Morning guys how are things in our fine city, oh and where is Shigeru?" Kaji asked cordially knowing full well where the music enthusiast was. Misato had grabbed him and a slew of other tech's for her damn volcano exploration. For the life of him, Kaji got a bad feeling about that little diversion. "Maya, Ritsuko wanted me to thank you for all the help you've been giving her," he loved watching that girl squirm.

True to form, Maya blushed softly and spun in her chair. Was it due to Kaji's charms or the topic of Ritsuko, nobody knew, but Maya's smile was broad and honest. "Always glad to help Sempai. Especially after they made her take on all of Fuyutski's work," that man's name was still used as a curse among those in the know. Turning back to her work, "And aside from being understaffed today thanks to Katsuragi, everything looks fine."

Chuckling lightly, Makoto added his little observation, "Maya, why do you dislike the captain so much? She gets the job done, she's energetic, and…" Sagely going silent, Makoto attempted to not put his foot in his mouth.

Ah Makoto, Kaji enjoyed his time with the overly honest man. His friendship with Makoto was what made his investigation of Aoi all the harder. He didn't want to hurt the geek, but if it was Nerv's safety or Makoto's bed-buddy, Nerv won every time. Tossing the files at his station, Kaji fired up his computer, "Hey Maya you've not been on deck since our little date, but you'll never guess what we learned about our dear Makoto-chan." Play nice, make it sound social and cordial, and sneak in a few probing questions.

"That he's smitten with the captain despite having a phantom girlfriend? I could have told you that by his little comment right now," Maya hotly contested. Her fingers danced atop her keyboard at speeds only Ritsuko could surpass. "And its not that I dislike her, its just ever since she's arrived things have changed. But I guess that girl of hers, the Second, has been a real boon to Ikari-kun," Maya's typing slowed ever so slightly.

Not where Kaji wanted to go with the conversation, not at all. Yes he saw Shinji's mood brighten, boy was defiantly enjoying his time with Soryu. But Kaji could just predict what would happen when the girl wrenched the boy's heart out. Misato did it to him, and Asuka was trained by Misato. Trying to recapture the flow, "Well he might be a bit of a cheating heart, but no. Aoi Tachibana is in fact a real woman and not a figment of his imagination as we believed."

"Hey!" Makoto yelped out and officially abandoning his work for the time being. "You're joking right? I mean why would I ever do such an odd thing as that," he spun his chair around so quick he nearly fell out of it. "And I'd never cheat on Aoi-chan, she's the best thing that's ever happened to me," conviction poured from his soul.

Joining in on the little impromptu break, Maya reached for her cup of morning coffee. "So you weren't about to say attractive or sexy during your little talk about Katsuragi?" Maya's eyebrow arched questioningly. Sipping her steaming brew Maya crossed her legs, "You sure sounded like you were."

Being a man, Kaji couldn't help but take a quick peek at Maya's toned and slim legs. Girl was a real number if you looked past the tomboyish upper torso. But rumors as they were, were hard to refute. Lot of the guys thought she was a lesbian, and Kaji maybe through parental fears thought maybe Maya was a little to interested in Shinji. No matter, it wasn't like he was afraid he'd find Maya stalking the boy and stealing his boxers. "We tease, Makoto, we tease. But for awhile all we got was your word that she existed and no proof. And get this Maya," here was where Kaji felt a smidge of regret, "they met at the video store."

Gasping, Maya covered her mouth as the smile and shock were a private affair for her. "She caught you renting adult movies and still didn't run away from you? She didn't bump into you in the back section did she?" Maya leaned forward as her interest piqued.

Flubbing, Makoto spun back to his console, his face completely red. "I don't always rent movies like that!" he didn't deny that he did rent said movies though. "And no, she wasn't renting anything like that. She was getting exercise DVD's," he put his hands back on his keyboard but they didn't move. Something was churning behind those glasses of his, but he offered no extra details.

"Aw, don't act all hurt you big lug, it's kind of cute in a strange way," Maya tried to apologize. Catching Kaji helping himself to a small look, Maya subconsciously turned away from the man. "Men will be men, so at least she's not a prude or judgmental, right?" a note of ire rose in her cordial tone.

Scratching at his nose, Kaji realized he had been caught with his hands in the cookie jar. But it wasn't a sin to look was it? But Maya had acted her part wonderfully, goading Makoto into confirming the strangeness of his meeting with his 'perfect woman'. "After seeing that girl of yours though, Makoto, have to admit I don't know why she'd need exercise tapes," he tried to come off as complimentary. But it was another flaw in the woman's story that irritated Kaji's honed senses. The woman was a stick, so why the need for exercise?

His fingers stopped typing in whatever command he was trying to focus on, but Makoto didn't turn back around. His head wafted up in thought, "Yeah, I asked her about that the other night. She says she wants to get into yoga and stuff, stretching and flexibility. You know that kind of stuff, not weight loss," he giggled a little and rubbed at his nose.

That was more information than Kaji wanted to know on a personal level, but his logical side knew it was important. So Makoto's little lady was into some freaky stuff in the bedroom, and Makoto got to benefit. They were both adults, and Kaji did admit that some of the stuff Ritsuko and he did was far from vanilla, but for a new couple? He was going to have to take care of this personally. Section-2 was too inept for the task, and enough red flags were raised to make this a priority matter. Hopefully it was just as it seemed, Aoi was just a very open and experimental woman.

Picking up the phone after it started ringing, Makoto's complexion went for red to pale in the span of moments. "I see, yes, I'll bring them in Katsuragi-san. I'll tell Kaji right away too, thank you Katsuragi-san, goodbye," he hung up the phone with a shaky hand. Robotically spinning in his chair, Makoto tried talking but his voice didn't come out.

It wasn't necessary though, Kaji had seen that look enough on more than one person's face. "She actually found an angel in that damn volcano," Kaji took the liberty of talking for the dumbstruck Makoto. "And now we have to call the pilots in to discus what we're going to do about it," Kaji hissed through his teeth. It had been hard for him to tell Shinji he couldn't go on the class trip, boy took it like he did everything else without complaint. But this was a new low, asking him if he didn't mind jumping into a volcano to try and capture an angel. Wonderful.

"I'll contact Ikari-kun and Ayanami-kun if you want to call Soryu," Maya offered as she pulled out her personal phone. Already dialing the number, she didn't allow either man to offer a counter argument. The air in the bridge had already shifted from lighthearted to dire, all in the span of a few moments.

X-X

It was a damn dangerous operation, but as much as Ritsuko wanted to strike it down she couldn't. Nerv had far too much to gain if they could actually capture and contain an Angel. So, Misato's plan of dropping an Eva into the volcano was going to happen. Now it was the simple matter of telling the pilots about it and let the lucky Number 02 know that she was going to be the one to take the plunge.

"You think she'll be alright with this?" Ritsuko asked masking her nervousness well enough. Talking to Misato had at one time been the high point of her day, but those days were long gone. Walking towards the pool, one she had longed to get into but her schedule really was doing much to prevent it. "I mean it's not your standard mission, and while it would be great to get it, we don't 'need' it," she peeked timidly at her walking companion.

If Misato was nervous, the captain masked it just as well as Ritsuko did. "Alright with it? I'm going to have to order her to leave Nerv tonight or she'd camp out in her Eva!" Misato joked as she tugged at her slipping shoe. "After the debacle her first mission was, to finally get a shot at being the lone pilots might finally give me some peace," Misato smiled weakly at Ritsuko as the sounds of them walking echoed loudly. "S-so how have things been going for you? Maya have a voodoo doll of me yet?" she offered.

Picturing in her mind a tiny Misato shaped doll, Ritsuko let slip a single laugh. "If she has one of you I haven't seen it, why having some aches and pains I should know about?" the tension was slowly ever so slowly dwindling. Misato had shown no outward appearance of trying to take Kaji from her, maybe she had moved on. It wasn't outside of possibility. Misato had been the one to break it off, so maybe just maybe Ritsuko had no reason to fear. "As for myself, things have been boring mostly. Shinji-kun does make for a nice venue to alleviate it though. Watching Kaji and him together is something else," Ritsuko didn't expect Kaji to be so taken in by the boy. It was heart warming.

Stretching her arms above her head, Misato wiggled her nose, "No, just whenever I see that girl she gives me the cold shoulder. She's about the only person that does that around here," Misato carefully avoided eye contact with Ritsuko. "And I'll admit when Shinji-kun visits I find it damn hard not to tease him. It's like he has a big sign on his back that just begs for it. But seeing Asuka and him together is cute, I think Asuka really likes him," Misato was near whimsical.

Having not seen the pair together, Shinji sagely kept the meetings away from Kaji, Ritsuko could only speculate. "Shinji does seem a bit happier around the apartment. When he first moved in I swore he only had one expression, gloomy. But he's been opening up to us…well Kaji. At times the two of us have troubles from time to time," that was an understatement but the less Ritsuko said about it the better.

"Sounds like he's a lot like you used to be," Misato said after a few moments of silence. "When we first met, I thought you were just a bitch. Cold, emotionless, and a ball buster of a bitch. But once we started talking," Misato's face light up as she reached for the door to the pool. "Well you're still a bitch, but you're not cold or emotionless, and I…well lets just say I miss the old days we used to share," she let her hand stall on the door.

Was she really like that? Ritsuko had to admit that at times she did think Shinji was the mirror of her past, maybe her present too. It might have explained why she had such a hard time with him, she just saw herself in him. All the things she hated about herself, all the private self loathing given a human form. Then there was the other similarity that she never wanted to think about…he lost his mother as she had. Mother, that one word made Ritsuko cringe inside so hard that it nearly made her drop to the ground. The great Naoko Akagi, the shadow she'd never get out from under who was only surpassed by the other late great Yui Ikari. Ritsuko heard Yui's name said in contempt more than once.

Shaking her head clear of all the repressed memories of failure and hate, Ritsuko reached out for the other door. "And I thought you were a flighty airhead who was going to fail college. You could talk the ear off a deaf man, but he would have just been staring at those damn tits of yours. But I learned you, even though still talked too much, were nice to talk to," Ritsuko nodded to her own thoughts and pulled the door open.

The scene was almost surreal, Shinji was at his computer with Ayanami at his side as Asuka swam laps in the pool. Rei was pointing at something on the screen, one hand on Shinji's shoulder, but who was teacher and pupil was something to obscure to know. Clad in her white swimsuit, Ritsuko couldn't tell where Rei's skin began and the suit covered. What was the oddity was how Shinji wasn't pushing the girl away, wasn't flinching or cringing as she'd seen him to countless other times whenever anybody got close.

Breaking the stillness of the moment, Misato cupped her mouth and called out loudly, "Asuka get your butt out here, we've got a mission to talk about," turning to the young Ikari Misato's eye twitched. "So Ayanami, helping Shinji here with his homework? OH and what did you think of Asuka's new swimsuit Shinji? She picked it out for that trip she thought she could have went on," Misato teased.

Now that was something Ritsuko hadn't expected, Misato didn't care for Rei or maybe it was a fear Shinji did care for her. Spying the screen of the computer over Shinji's shoulder, she noticed a few physics equations and rolled her eyes. "If I had to guess, Ayanami is helping Shinji. His science scores are a little on the low end," she didn't try to demean the boy.

"Ikari-kun was having a problem with the theory of thermal expansion. I offered my assistance in the matter," Rei said flatly as she took a seat at the table without offering any other words on the matter.

Dripping water everywhere, splashing her way past Misato, Asuka took the chair to Shinji's left. "Hand me my towel would you Shinji," she asked after she patted his arm leaving a wet palm print. After the lad complied, she wrapped it around her dripping mane, "So going to tell us why we've been ordered to base then told to waste time till you got here?"

"Girl is impatient as ever," Misato grabbed Asuka by the nose and wiggled it. "And yes we're going to tell you about the upcoming mission. As we speak preparations are underway for a capture operation," releasing Asuka's nose, Misato's hand slid to the young girl's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Going to be dropping an Eva into Mt Asama to try and capture what we believe to be an Angel's egg," Misato alternated between the pilots.

Another unexpected turn, Ritsuko had never thought she'd see. Misato, through all her bluff and bravado, was afraid! Afraid of sending Asuka into this mission, but what made her think was…would she be that nervous if it were Shinji being put in harms way? Pacing around the foursome, Ritsuko took over for the stalled mother hen. "We believe we found a chrysalis in the deeper reaches of the volcano. Equipping the pilot and their Eva with Type-D equipment, we're going to attempt to capture it for study and disposal," she could see a mixture of emotions on the pilots faces.

Rei was unreadable as normal, her eyes fixed on Shinji or straying momentarily to Asuka. The male pilot had the expected look of a doomed man, not surprising as he had most tactical experience and the likely choice in the mission. Asuka, oh how that girl broke out into what appeared to be a fit of giddiness. She wanted the mission, she had every telling indication that she'd have volunteered if it were an option.

Misato bit the bullet and concluded with, "Due to Unit-02's more advanced plug ins, Asuka you've been selected for this mission. Unit-01 will be onsite as well in case anything goes bad," she hugged the girl lightly from behind. "Unit-00 will remain in Tokyo-3 in the off chance an angel attacks while this one is dormant. Sorry Ayanami, but we do need to cover our defenses," Misato didn't sound sorry in the slightest.

If Rei took offense, it wasn't noted as she stood, saluted, "If that is all I would like to return to the pool." She walked past the group, her hand for the briefest of moments trailed along Shinji's back, possibly by accident, as she went back to the water and dove in.

"That girl really needs more friends," Asuka took the towel of her head and gave Misato a good thwack with it. "And you don't be so clingy! I know you're worried, appreciated, but don't get all sappy on me," she squirmed away from Misato and bumped into Shinji. "And you, I thought I told you not to be so chummy with her, you're my man and I will not allow any cheating!" Asuka applied her knuckles to Shinji's temples as he actually smiled and laughed.

It appeared so effortless, so easy for them, that Ritsuko hated both of them for it at that moment. Both Asuka and Misato were just so much more open, they just walked in and had that effect on Shinji when it took her months to get the smallest of smiles. How was that fair? "Well the timetable is set, day after tomorrow will be the date. So you two keep your phones nearby in case something changes, Asuka I'll need you here tomorrow to test out the new plug-suit," she wanted out of that room now.

Leaving the sound of laughter and the lovely smell of chlorine behind, Ritsuko felt her fist shaking. Who was she mad at again anyway? It wasn't Misato or Asuka's fault that she couldn't open up the way they could. It wasn't Shinji's fault for being happy. But she was angry at them all the same. Why wasn't she good enough for that type of reaction? Everybody else, Kaji included, just clinked in a way that made her feel the outcast.

Taking a few deep breaths, damn hyperventilation was coming back, Ritsuko headed to her office to calm down. Thankfully nobody saw her or questioned her, they likely had to much on their minds to notice anyway. In the safety of her lab, Ritsuko sat down, let out a few anguished sobs, and recollected herself. She was getting better, she wasn't being replaced or forgotten, she was her own woman and that was all she had to be.

X-X

Popping the last of the meal into her mouth, Misato savored the flavor with relish. It was something she could really get used it, being spoiled as it were by her ward's boyfriend. The food wasn't fresh, but the boy kept a portion for her from the meal they ate while she was still at Nerv. Coming home to a home cooked meal, the apartment cleaner than when she left for Mt. Asama, was a very welcome feeling. When Shinji got the chance to clean, Misato would never ask, but suspected Asuka had sequestered herself in her room to put on something more appropriate.

Hearing the sounds of video games from the living room, Misato let out a discrete belch. Joining the pair, "Shinji-kun you really shouldn't spoil us like this, or you'll have to take responsibility," she teased as she fell into a laying position on the couch. With the two on the ground in front of the television, she didn't mind monopolizing the furniture. "And is this what you two have been doing all day since you left Nerv?" she grabbed a cushion to use as a pillow.

Her controller weaving around in front of her, Asuka's focus was so intense that it was startling. "Aside from him cooking, and a few things I had to take care of, yes. Got this one new on the way back, and he's got the audacity to be better than me at it," she shoulder bumped her boyfriend. "He won't stay on top for long though," she licked her lips as she continued to mash her buttons.

Not quite as focused as Asuka was, Shinji's shoulders were relaxed as he efficiently entered his combatant's moves. "Sorry it wasn't hot, but Asuka-c-chan wanted to eat earlier so we could f-focus on the game," his stuttering hinted at something not quite truthful about his statement. "Oh and I gave Pen-Pen some of the left over fish, hope you don't mind," Shinji's focus shifted to the bird just long enough to get beaten.

Throwing her left hand up in victory, Asuka lassoed Shinji's neck with her right. Pulling the lad in close, she pressed the side of her head to his. "Victory! I told you I'd beat you this round. And I already told you, that bird is used to eating Misato's cooking so no matter WHAT you feed him, it won't kill the damn pervert," Asuka released her hold letting Shinji shoot back like a rubber band.

They were so cute together, but Misato wondered just what Asuka was doing when she wasn't around. "No worries Shinji-kun, any food is better than none. And Asuka here doesn't make enough for two," Misato reached out and ruffled the top of Asuka's head. This really was how Misato liked it. Peaceful but with a hint of excitement. Shinji wasn't as forward as the other boys Asuka dated, meaning Misato didn't have to worry about finding used condoms. Thankfully, Misato did ask before moving to Tokyo-3, Asuka never did give a boy her once in a lifetime gift. "As for the cleaning though, I hope you don't think us slobs or anything, but we just haven't had much time lately," she said lamely.

Tossing her controller to the ground, Asuka stood up and stretched right above the young man. Either on purpose or simply due to not caring gave the young lad a tantalizing glimpse of her toned and petite waist. "You bought ice-cream too didn't you, Shin-chan?" she asked heading towards the kitchen. "And I told him not to bother cleaning, you'd just mess it up, but he said he was bored while I took care of things," she again didn't really state what those things were.

Turning off the console and bundling up the controllers, Shinji with a rosy tint to his cheeks replied, "Yeah, I put it behind…um…Misato-san's hard liquor." He still appeared to have issues saying Misato's name fully, but he did abide by the rule to do so. Once Asuka had left the room, he did bashfully turn to the lounging woman, "I clean our apartment a lot so it was nothing really. Asuka was in her room working on something so it really did help pass the time."

The teasing light was on, and Misato was a slave to its call. "You didn't find anything you shouldn't have, did you Shinji-kun?" Misato didn't know if he touched her room, doubted it really. No, Shinji was head over heels for Asuka so Misato didn't worry about the boy sneaking off with a pair of her panty's as one boy tried in the past. "And you didn't hear anything odd coming from Asuka's door did you?" Misato had heard that in the past few weeks, but Asuka did have normal teenage hormones after all.

Blinking hard and fast, Shinji's mouth opened and closed a few times before he shook his head hard. "No-no-no nothing like that really!" he blustered out with his face even redder than before. "I-I-I stuck to the kitchen and living room, it-it's not my place to go into your rooms," his hands waved frantically at the insinuation.

Letting out one gut buster of a belly laugh, Misato rubbed her stomach and put a hand over her eye as the chuckles fell out like water. "Shinji-kun, you truly are one of a kind. I couldn't have asked for a better boy for Asuka to bring home," and she meant every word. Male pride clashed with Asuka's pride, and when Asuka's pride was challenged bad things happened. Shinji had little, so Misato could see it working. "Now tell the truth, did you two have a little game of tonsil hockey while you were alone?" nothing to much she hoped, but a little slap and tickle was ok in moderation.

Shinji didn't answer with words so much as he fell back down to the ground hard. A mighty thump as he all but crashed down, looking down at his crossed feet, his face tried to remain neutral but a smile kept peeking through. "I-I don't think we should talk about stuff like this Katsuragi-san," Shinji mumbled and wiggled on the floor.

Bingo, Misato rubbed her chin as she fought to keep herself from laughing again. It wasn't Shinji's fault for being so shy about things, but it was funny to see nonetheless. "No kiss and tell, huh? Well I'll just have to get it from Asuka," she slowly and quietly rolled off the couch. With his attention on his lap, in some remembrance possibly, Misato stalked her pray. "Or I could just…" she pounced on the boy pressing him to the ground and tickling his exposed stomach, "get you to squeal and tell me all you're hiding from me."

The crash of ceramic on tile reverberated in the room followed by Asuka's shrill voice. "GET OFF OF HIM!" the German bellowed as she rushed the pair on the ground. Pulling Misato off Shinji, Asuka gave the woman a shove towards the couch, eyes glazed over with venom. "What the hell were you doing Misato?" she hotly demanded an explanation as she helped Shinji to sit up, he was laughing but didn't look to happy about it.

"I was…just teasing him is all," Misato put her hands up in defeat. Asuka never got this upset over something so trivial before. It wasn't like Misato never teased the boy in front of her before, so why the show of dominance. "I just asked what you two were hiding from me, and I know you weren't just playing games all day. The apartment has 'that smell' to it," Misato pulled herself back to the couch. She lied about their being a musky aroma to the room, but Asuka wasn't thinking and Misato knew it.

Almost possessively, Asuka kept an arm around Shinji's waist after fixing his upturned shirt. "Fine we made out for a little bit if you have to know. Nothing like what you do with the last guy you dated. I swear I never wanted to sit on the couch after what you did on it!" she retorted with a dwindling fire. "And you tease to hard sometimes, Misato, why not think about how others would feel from time to time," she clutched Shinji's shirt tightly at the edge.

Gently freeing himself from Asuka's grip, he nodded once and tapped Asuka's chin with his knuckle. "It-it's ok, but it is getting late so I should be headed home," he got to his feet followed quickly by Asuka. "See you tomorrow at Nerv? It's only fair if you go that I go to, unless you don't want me….don't want me to go," he shuffled his feet a little as Asuka kept herself close to him.

"You're to forgiving," Asuka stuck her tongue out at Misato, "But that's part of your charm. And you damn ass better be there tomorrow. If I have to miss out on my vacation I at least want to spend my free time with my boyfriend." Giving the boy a peck on the cheek, she led him to the door.

Turning the station from the auxiliary input to the news, Misato still felt rattled at the outburst. If Asuka calmed down, she'd ask her about what just happened, but Misato doubted Asuka would be forthcoming with details anytime soon. An apology was necessary though, Misato was loath to give it though but knew it was mandatory. That look on Asuka's face was ferocious, and she had to admit maybe she went to far with tickling Shinji.

Listening to the talking heads discus rising trade deficits with the United States, Misato kept her ears trained on the door. Muffled talking followed by the door shutting was the best she could make out, nothing to good but at least Asuka would be calmer after a more prolonged good night kiss. When Asuka did join her, after cleaning up the broken bowl and spilled ice cream, Misato did apologize. At first the air had been open, devoid of acceptance, but Asuka did relent and accept. Sadly no details were offered as to why Shinji-teasing was officially off limits now, but Misato would accept it.

X-X

With his towel firmly wrapped around his waist, Shinji sank into the sulfurous waters of the outdoor bath. After the scalding heat from the volcano, the water in the bath was tepid. But it was a reward for services rendered in saving not only Unit-02 but Asuka as well. That alone made him feel like he was ten feet tall. Sure he got the mandatory reprimand from Misato, but Shinji suspected she was just going through the motions.

"Wonder what she meant by that," Shinji muttered as he went deeper into the pungent waters. After he caught her, focusing on that beautiful face in his monitor to keep the pain at bay, she said she was going to give him a big reward. "Knowing her it could be just about anything," he snickered. It was odd, being with Asuka, but Shinji wouldn't lie and say he disliked it. She was pushy, egotistical, but also kind and her ego wasn't for show. Asuka deserved every accolade she claimed, it wasn't boasting just the stating of a fact.

Sinking his feet into the water, Kaji startled the young man but setting a large box down. "Not interrupting anything am I?" the man announced his arrival. "Don't know what's in this box, but it has your name on it," Kaji patted the large box that made an odd wark sound.

Not a fan of the public bath philosophy, Shinji was glad to see Kaji had a towel wrapped around himself as well. "I bet I know what's inside it," Shinji recognized that sound anywhere. "Misato-san did you ship Pen-Pen here under my name?" Shinji yelled at the dividing wall. He had heard the muted voiced off and on of Asuka and Misato, but opted to not complicate matters by trying to talk to them. Opening the box, Shinji's couldn't contain his laughter as the penguin bolted into the water.

"Yeah! I did, but I didn't expect you to see it until you got out. He does belong on the men's side after all. Asuka would skin him if he got over here," Misato's voice wafted through the humid air. "Somebody else over there with you, Shinji-kun, thought I heard a voice," Misato's words echoed through the small bath.

While Shinji wasn't the most observant person on the planet, he did know that Misato and Kaji had some dealings in the past. Ritsuko's continually reminded both males of that fact. "S-should I say something?" he whispered to the man he wished was his father. Somebody that cared, or at least appeared to, yeah Shinji liked that idea a whole lot. When Kaji nodded, albeit hesitantly, "Kaji-san is over here with me," Shinji responded.

"She'd have eventually recognized my voice," Kaji shrugged and slapped the water with his hand before getting in. "It's a shame Ritsuko had to go back to Nerv, bet she'd have loved a dip in here. She's always wanted to come," he scooped up some of the water and dribbled it on Shinji's head. "Maybe the three of us can come back some time. Four if you insist on Asuka coming," Kaji smirked.

Thankful the heat of the water masked his red cheeks, Shinji just sank up to his nose in the water. What that girl saw in him, Shinji didn't know or even question. Would it last? Shinji never put stock in prolonged happiness, but he would ride it for as long as possible. Coming up for air, he saw Kaji staring at the wall. "What happened between Katsuragi-san and you?" he couldn't help but ask. He often wondered what had occurred, but never had the bravery to ask, well the days heroics stole it out of him.

Leaning against the wall of the bath, Kaji dipped a cloth in the water then covered his eyes with it. "We dated back in college. It got pretty heavy, I thought about asking her to marry me. But I was never very 'open' about my feelings, she wasn't either," a hint of remorse ate at the man. "So instead of being honest, we fought, broke up, and she headed off to Germany and I stayed here. In the end it lead to the best thing in my life so I guess it was for the greater good," but why didn't he sound totally convinced.

Watching Pen-Pen float on top of the water, Shinji let the tiny story sink in. More to it had to exist, but Shinji wasn't going to pry. Maybe he would ask Misato someday for her side of things or how Ritsuko fit into the mix, but today he heard enough. "Are you going to reprimand me too about what I did during the operation," Shinji tugged his towel tighter as he stood up and waded deeper into the pool, further from Kaji.

Before Kaji could talk, Asuka's queerly mellow voice wafted over, "Shinji, toss me your shampoo will ya? We forgot ours and yours doesn't smell to bad." A splashing could be heard near the wall as Asuka made her request.

Catching the bottle as Kaji tossed it to him, Shinji splashed his way to the wooden divider himself. "Tossing it over now, look out," he warned before lofting the plastic bottle over. His heart warmed even more though, she liked the way his hair smelled. Such a simple statement made him happy, but simple pleasures were the best. Complex things were too hard, to much work to aim for, and to fleeting when the evaporated. Yes, simple was best.

"Ouch! Stupid pointed corner! You didn't aim for my breast did you?" Asuka's joking retort was followed by a yelp as Misato acted on some unseen impulse.

Shinji's mind wandered over possibilities and found hiding himself in the water was best. A healthy reaction yes, but one he didn't like to indulge in. Sitting in the pool, thinking cold and calming thoughts to banish such impossibilities from his mind, he saw Kaji peeking at him and shame washed over. "A-are you upset at me?" his mousy voice matched his inner thoughts.

His head wobbled to and fro quickly, but his face remained neutral. "Upset at you for saving a comrade who just so happens to be your little lady? No, I'm not upset about that," Kaji left his statement purposefully vague. "I am upset that they couldn't let Ayanami come out for a little R&R herself. The girl is cooped up all the time unless you visit her or she's at Nerv," he peeked at Shinji again. "I know it's not my place to ask, and you do have your lovely little Soryu, but if you have the time spend a little of it with that girl will you? Help her open up to others," Kaji hinted at no other reason than that.

"Asuka says the same thing, about her not doing much I mean," Shinji corrected himself. He wasn't blind to some of Asuka's less favorable qualities, he accepted the good as well as the bad. The night Rei came to break up their little make-out session, Shinji saw Asuka masking her anger well. Selfishness wasn't strange, and Shinji wasn't blind to what Asuka might have been thinking either. But Rei was just a friend, despite what others said, Shinji knew her better than they did.

Once his body was again calm, and he turned out the splashing and yelping from the other side of the wall, Shinji waded closer to Kaji again. "I've been meaning to spend more time with Ayanami, but Asuka's always got something planned for us to do," something Shinji enjoyed. He didn't have to make the plans, Asuka knew what she wanted to do and that's what they did. If he didn't like it, she never asked to do it again, give and take. "Maybe we can all do something together," he wondered aloud.

"That is dangerous thinking, my boy, dangerous thinking," Kaji took off his towel and tossed it back towards the doors. "Women are tricky things, and if yours is anything like the woman she lives with you'll do good to not give her any grounds to suspect," Kaji turned to that wall again. "Asuka might think you're on the make for Ayanami, might get jealous. Jealousy is a very ugly thing, makes you do and say things you might not normally do," Kaji splashed a little at Shinji and smiled. "Though if you do spend time with Ayanami alone you might learn you like her more," more than a little hope was there.

How did he feel about Ayanami? He liked her of course, felt really bad about what happened to her, but did his feelings go beyond friendship? "Never thought about it like that," Shinji was glad he spoke aloud. Chancing upsetting the applecart was not something Shinji planned for. Never expecting a girlfriend before, Asuka alone left his mind reeling at the possibilities of good and bad, add to that Rei and that made for an unbalanced equation. The rumors about them were false, but if that changed…what would he do?

He didn't have an answer for that. Watching the sun set, Shinji felt cold in the heated water. It was a silly fear, Rei's actions were just misconstrued by the others. Shyness coupled with lack of social etiquette was all. He hoped anyway, Shinji wouldn't want to hurt either girl if he had to actually make some sort of decision. Such simply wasn't in his nature, he'd run if it came to it, he knew it! Run and ruin everything. So it simply had to be a false rumor…please let it just be a damn rumor!

X-X

Authors Notes

Little short on this chapter, I had a plan for a fifth scene, but it didn't fit well with the others so I'll use it elsewhere. Trying to keep the plot moving and the characters evolving and not stagnating. I love me my complex characters and intertwining storylines. Hope you're still enjoying this story and continue to support it.

Ja Mata

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