Chapter 10

Date: 6/24/07

ARGH!! Something is wrong with my internet connection. I have been unable to contact my beta, so everything you see was preread by me. In this case, since my grammar skills are not as great, I hope you can allow for a few errors. In any case, I'm leaving for the summer, so I won't be updating anytime until the end of summer break. Also, you're getting two chapters, a consolation for missing me for the summer.

Disclaimer: I do not own NGE, Gainax does

Now, on with the show!

Sometime during the night a typhoon passed close by the coast near Okinawa. Due to the weather conditions, a heavy storm was hanging around the area, making everyone take shelter until it passed. Not only that, but there was some damage done to the power, so that very little was going to housing. Staring out the window with a bored expression, Asuka sighed explosively.

"I'm so bored"

Everyone was gathered in the boys' room, wondering what they were going to do on this dreary day. Shinji was staring out at the rain splattered window, the dancing drops against the glass always causing him to come close to recalling something

"What do you expect us to do?" Kensuke asked, interrupting Shinji's attempts, "The weather report says it'll be like this into midnight"

Sighing again, Asuka didn't reply. Also feeling bored, Misato lay on her back on one of the beds and thought, and was inspired by an idea

"Let's play a game," the woman announced, sitting up, "What do you say?"

"Anything," Touji said, "I'll go stir crazy if we don't do anything"

"How about 'Truth or Dare'?"

Because everyone was bored, they all quickly agreed to the idea. Shinji, who hadn't played the game, asked what the rules were.

"It's pretty simple," Hikari explained, "One person asks another person Truth or Dare. Then that person chooses one of the two options. The first person will then either ask a question that the other person must answer truthfully, or have them do something"

"Sounds simple," Shinji said

"I'll go first then," Misato announced, "Suzuhara, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare," Touji said bravely

"I dare you," Misato said, stretching it out, "to do the chicken dance on one leg"

Everyone got a kick out of watching the jock dancing the ridiculous dance on one leg. Even Touji was laughing when he sat down to take his turn.

"Okay, okay," he said as everyone calmed down, "Your turn Kensuke, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare"

Touji rubbed his chin before telling him, "I dare you to stand out on the balcony and shout loudly that you're a loon three times"

The four-eyed boy went out and did so, much to everyone's amusement, but required a towel when he came in. After he had changed into a set of dry clothes, Kensuke continued the game.

"Alright, Misato-san, Truth or Dare?"

"Truth"

"When was your first time?"

Flushing, Hikari reprimanded the boy, "Hentai, that's not something you ask a lady!"

Chuckling, the older woman calmed the brunette, "That's alright, I don't mind sharing. My first time was in my second year at college, and it was a big one"

Raising his hand, Shinji asked, "Ano, what are you guys talking about?"

Everyone fell on their faces when he asked that question. There was about ten minutes of everyone telling him one thing or another, causing him to be even more confused.

"Do you understand?" Misato asked once everyone calmed down

Tilting his head to the side, Shinji replied, "Sort of, but I still don't understand what you mean by a pickle and a wrapper"

Everyone grew red-faced as Asuka told him, "Just forget it, you can ask more questions when the game is over"

"Hai"

Coughing into her hand a bit, Misato recovered and continued the game, "Okay Asuka, Truth or Dare?"

In a challenging tone, Asuka answered, "Dare"

A sly look on her face, the woman dared her, "I dare you…to sit in Shinji's lap for the rest of the game"

"What!"

Waving her finger, Misato told her, "You can go along with the dare, or you don't, but if you don't you lose"

Not wanting to lose, Asuka walked to where Shinji sat on the bed and told him very clearly, "Remember, if your hands go anywhere they're not supposed to, I'll be within striking distance"

Gulping, the boy nodded as the red-head set herself down. Kensuke was recording on his camera the uncomfortable looks on the pair's faces while Touji was trying to control his laughter.

"Aw," Misato cooed, "You look so cute together"

Asuka was flushed as she retorted, "Let's just go on"

The next few rounds were more sedate since everyone couldn't think straight with Asuka sitting on Shinji's lap. The boy had trouble since the German girl couldn't balance straight. The others found it quite amusing watching Asuka tell Shinji where to hold her so that she wouldn't fall out.

"Alright," the red-head said finally, "Keep your hands there, and remember what happens if they don't"

"H-Hai"

By then it was Touji's turn, and he had a wicked idea. Turning to Shinji, he asked him Truth or Dare.

"Truth," the boy replied

A wicked smile on his face, Touji asked, "Do you like Sohryu?"

Flushing, Asuka tried to turn around but wasn't able to stop Shinji from answering, "I do"

Everyone had a little chuckle at Asuka's expense. The red-head knew that she couldn't really do anything about that. Shinji didn't understand the concept of lying, and always spoke what he knew was true. Ignoring the giggles, Asuka waited for her turn, so that she could turn the tables on the jock.

The game continued on, and then it was Misato's turn. Feeling extra mischievous, she decided to try something else with Asuka and Shinji.

"Shinji, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare"

This couldn't have gone better, Misato thought as she said, "I dare you to give Asuka a kiss on the cheek"

Flushing, the red-head turned around, about to tell him not to when his lips pressed against hers. Shinji had been in the process of kissing her cheek when Asuka turned around, putting their lips in contact with each other. The seconds turned to hours as the two kissed. When they parted a few seconds later, both of them were flushing so hard they could be seen from space.

Kensuke, who was recording the whole thing, snickered as he said, "Wait until I show this to everyone at school"

Getting up from Shinji's lap, Asuka silently stalked past everyone and went to the adjoining room. Worried at the lack of a louder reaction, Misato and Hikari quickly followed the German girl to the next room.

In the next room, the red-head had sat down on her bed and held her hand to her lips. Hikari and Misato sat down on either side of her.

"Ano," the brunette began, "Asuka-chan, are you alright?"

Nodding, the girl replied in a slightly squeaky voice, "I'm fine"

Wrapping an arm around the red-faced girl, Misato told her in a reassuringly way, "If you want to talk, we're here for you"

"I told you, I'm fine," the German girl stubbornly said, still in a squeaky voice

"Come on, tell us what's wrong"

In a weak tone, Asuka replied, "I'm fine!"

In the other room, Shinji was tightlipped as well. He ignored his friends when they tried to talk to him and was lost in his thoughts. It had seemed innocent enough, kiss Asuka on the cheek, but he accidentally kissed her on the lips as she turned around. When he thought back to the kiss, he was filled with emotions that he could not name.

"He's not responding," Kensuke finally said when Shinji failed to react to them, "Do you think there's something wrong?"

Shrugging, Touji told him, "Stay here, I'm going to check with the girls"

Sitting across from Shinji, the four-eyed boy muttered, "Some guys have all the luck with girls"

Hikari had met with Touji when he knocked on the door, "Suzuhara, how's Shinji?"

"He's not saying anything," the boy replied, "Shinji's not even responding to us. How's Sohryu?"

"She won't tell us anything," the brunette answered

There was a moment of silence before Hikari said, "I better go check on Asuka, and will you do the same for Shinji?"

Nodding, Touji told her, "Of course, he's my friend"

Kensuke was playing the video of when Asuka and Shinji were kissing when the jock came back. Shinji was staring at the video's images with a slightly red face.

"This is great," the four-eyed boy snickered, "The look on your faces are hilarious"

Getting up, Shinji silently walked to his bed and lay down on it. Turning his back to the others, he lay there in silence. Shaking his head, Touji tapped Kensuke on his shoulder to get his attention

"Hey, baka," he said, "Lay off Shinji, alright?"

"What?"

Later that night, the rain let up a little. Both Shinji and Asuka were silent and non-responsive to anything the others tried all day. Misato was worried; Asuka she might understand being silent, but Shinji should have been trying to talk to the red-head, to find out what was wrong.

"I'm worried about those two," Hikari said quietly to Misato

The German girl was absentmindedly brushing her hair as she stared blankly into space. Sighing quietly, the older woman sat next to the girl and patted her back gently.

"Try to get some sleep," the woman suggested, "You'll feel better in the morning"

"I told you," Asuka said irritably, "There's nothing wrong with me"

Sighing, Misato left her alone and prepared to go to bed. When the red-headed girl was ready to talk, she'll talk. Until then, they could only wait until Asuka was feeling confident enough to talk

Midnight

Shinji couldn't sleep, not with the emotions raging through his mind. Getting up silently, he climbed out of bed and went out onto the balcony. The clouds had dispersed and allowed the night sky to show through.

Staring out into the night, Shinji asked himself, "What's wrong with me?"

After restlessly tossing and turning in her bed, Asuka threw the covers off and got out of bed

I can't take this anymore, she thought, I'm going crazy

She decided to go out and get some fresh air, in an attempt to clear her full mind. Stepping out onto the balcony, Asuka spotted Shinji leaning against the railing. A cloud moved and revealed the full moon, bathing the two of them in pale light. Looking out into the night, the red-head noted that Shinji looked really handsome under the light of the moon

Turning, the boy looked and spotted Asuka staring at him. Flushing as he remembered the earlier events, Shinji turned to leave.

"Wait"

He stopped, but he didn't turn around. Slowly, Asuka stepped up to the railing, near where Shinji was leaning from

"Can we talk?"

The boy slowly returned to the railing, keeping a short distance between the two of them, "Hai"

Silence stretched between them for a few long minutes. Neither was ready or willing to talk right away. Taking a deep breath, Asuka broke it with a question.

"Do you remember earlier, with the game?"

Nodding silently, Shinji didn't look at her as he replied, "Hai"

Silence, then the boy said, "Gomen, I wanted to say that, but I just couldn't face you, not right away"

Flushing a bit, Asuka asked, "Why?"

"I don't know," he replied, "It's just, when I look at you my heart beats faster and I feel nervous when I'm near you"

Shyly smiling, Asuka asked teasingly, "Why should you feel nervous around little old me?"

Returning the smile, Shinji flushed as he asked, "So, about earlier…"

"Don't worry," the red-head interrupted, "besides, I kinda liked it"

The last part was said too low for the boy to hear, so he asked, "What?"

Flushing, Asuka retorted, "Nothing, just nothing"

"Oh"

The red-head could sense that Shinji was beginning to lighten up a little, so she moved a little closer to him. Her shoulder brushed up against his, and he looked sideways at her. They gave each other a small smile

"Do you think you had a girlfriend before?" Asuka asked

Shrugging, the boy replied, "I don't think so"

"Why?"

Smiling at her a little, Shinji told her, "I like you, remember?"

Becoming a deep red, Asuka punched him in the gut, "Oi, you little…"

Turning around, she realized how close their faces were. Both of them blushed, but neither of them moved.

"Hey, Shinji"

"Hai?"

"Could you hold me again? Like before?"

Nodding, he wrapped his arms gently around Asuka as she leaned up against his chest. Sighing gently, the red-head relaxed into his arms, realizing that she had enjoyed being held by Shinji. She felt…happy. The last time she remembered feeling this happy was before her mother passed away. Could it be…?

"Don't tell anyone about this," Asuka said after a while in silence, "but you're the first boy I've kissed"

"Well, as far as I can remember, you're the first girl I've kissed," Shinji said in reply

Both of them laughed a little at this. They were now feeling more comfortable with being this near each other. Asuka realized that Shinji was stroking her hair, but made no move to stop him.

"Hey, Shinji," the red-head said after a couple of minutes, "Don't you dare tell anyone what's happening here"

"Hai"

Pressing her forehead to his, Asuka said in a soft tone, "This is going to be our little secret, alright?"

Looking into her blue eyes, Shinji replied with a light flush on his face, "Okay"

"Come on," the German girl said, pulling away from him, "Let's get some sleep; we need to make up for the day we missed tomorrow, and we'll need all the energy we can get"

Nodding, the boy leaned forward and pecked her on the cheek, saying, "I never finished my dare"

Flushing, Asuka placed a hand where he kissed her. This was the second time she had been kissed by a boy.

Dazed, the red-head said, "Guten Nact," before going back to the girl's room

Getting back into bed, the red-head didn't notice that Misato was lying on her bed wide awake. She had heard part of their conversation and watched them through the glass doors.

Looks like Asuka's falling for Shinji, the woman thought as she lay back down on the bed, I wonder, where it'll lead?

Thanks for reading. Review and check out the other chapter

Later!