-------------------------------
It was not light out, but certainly not dark. The sun was out, the ground perfectly visible. The only problem was the fog. It was thick, and loomed over everything, disabling the two lounging teenagers from seeing anything farther than ten feet. The two teenagers, who had found their way to the beach next to the headquarters of NERV, were now unable to locate the path homeward. One, with black hair, looked put-upon and almost depressed, but otherwise glad for the rest. The other was laid-back and had a touch of optimism. His hair was off-white.
"Kaworu... Can I ask you a question?" Shinji asked, squirming slightly.
Kawaru looked up, earnesty painted on his face. "Why, certainly, my friend. What do you need?"
Shinji looked down at the sand uncomfortably, unsure of how to ask this. Idly, he plucked at the grains, letting them scratch against his fingers and fall back to the ground. "Well... It's about something my friends said earlier. Something... about you."
Kaworu continued to study Shinji with interest. "Oh? And what would that be?" His head cocked to the side near the end of his inquiry.
"Well... They said something about you that made me... kind of uncomfortable."
"Now you've got me curious, Shinji. What was it?"
"Um... they said that... that you wanted to be more than my friend. That you were... er... how do I put this..."
"Homosexual?" Kaworu provided.
"Uh... yeah. That."
"Hm... And this bothers you?" Kaworu asked with an amused smirk.
"Well, yeah... It does. I just don't feel that way." Now that it was out, Shinji felt a little more open.
"Ha. Well, you have nothing to worry. I harbor no romantic feelings for you." Kaworu's smile grew wider at this as he laughed to himself. "I am again curious, though. How did this rumor begin?"
Shinji let out a small chuckle. "Well, I guess they heard that you said to me that you love me, or something."
"Well, if you'll remember, I did."
Shinji froze for a second at these words. "But I thought you just said..."
Kaworu stopped the other boy with his raised hand. "No, you and your friends misunderstand, Shinji. I did say that I love you. But not in the way in which you all seem to think. I love you as is proper for two people like us should: as a brother. You stand by me, and I stand by you. We help each other. That is what I meant."
Shinji blushed for a moment, letting out a sigh of relief. "Oh. Well... Thank you. I guess if we're talking in those terms... I do feel the same way."
"That's good to hear, Shinji. I'm glad to hear that we share this love."
"Er... Could I ask you a favor, though?"
Kaworu let out a small chuckle. "What is it now, Shinji?" he asked teasingly.
"Could you... reword it a little?"
"Hm... yes, I can see how society today has redefined the true meaning of the word 'love.' What would you be more comfortable with?"
Shinji thought for a moment. "Well... I guess just 'brothers' would work."
Kaworu nodded. "Yes. That sounds like it would work marvelously."
Silence passed, the moment stretching on to minutes as the two teens looked out over the lake. The fog seemed to be clearing up.
"Shinji... I think it's my turn to ask a question."
Shinji chuckled. "Oh, now I'm scared. Go ahead."
"Well... I was thinking about your previous questions, and my thought process brought me to a peculiar line of thinking. Specifically about romantic love."
Shinji immediately went on the defensive. "About who?" he asked shortly.
"Well, about you, of course. I've seen the way you like to... hm, what's the word? Ah. 'Analyze' the other pilots."
The black haired teen gulped. "So?"
"So... which of them are you truly interested in? Or is it just simple lust that motivates you?"
"You mean... which of them do I love?"
"No, not necessarily. Which of them do you have... the potential of loving? Which do you care for the most?"
Shinji remained silent for another few minutes as Kaworu let the question hang.
"I think... I don't know. I care for Ayanami, but... Well, I've thought about her sometimes. But she seems more like... like a sister or... or..."
"A mother?" Kaworu provided, his eyes and mouth smiling.
"Yeah."
"Well that seems appropriate." Kaworu's eyes danced at an unseen joke.
"What?" Shinji asked.
"Oh... nothing. Continue, please. What about the Second Child?"
Shinji's cheeks turned the color of said girl's Eva unit. "Asuka? Well... She's..." He coughed. "She's... nice to look at, of course. But... well... she's kind of mean..."
"And yet to allow her to, in a way, abuse you. Why is that?"
Shinji didn't answer for a while. Then, as if only just realizing it, he said, "I hope she gets better." His eyelids drooped as he thought of his friend's condition at the moment.
"Ah; so you do care deeply for her."
Shinji hid his face in his knees. A muffled response emerged.
"Excuse me?" Kaworu asked.
"I said... yes." This time, the response was much more audible a touch of annoyance evident.
Kaworu again turned to the water, his face set in stone this time. "I... I can't say that this will all be alright, my brother. What I can say, though... Is that I have a feeling that things may turn out just fine. That maybe... maybe you'll get your chance with her."
Shinji looked up for a moment, then hid again. "Thank you."
"For what?"
A pause. The fog, although not gone, had finally subsided. "For hope."
-
Hm... that turned out longer than I'd planned! Thanks for reading, and remember to review!