Hello, everyone! The next true chapter won't be ready for a while, but I wanted to update before the end of the year. So, we're doing something a little different, but still related to Shinji's campaign...

WARNING: This interlude contains cuddling, mushy dialogue, fanfiction-within-fanfiction and the merciless butchering of Pathfinder lore.

No Scottish dwarves this time, I'm afraid.

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Trust&Tales

Fifteen days before the game…

Their friends waved goodbye one last time and the door slid close, leaving Shinji and Asuka alone in the apartment. She let out a long sigh and leaned her whole body on her boyfriend's, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Tired?" he asked, surrounding her with an arm.

"Yeah. Six hours of non-stop partying are too much, even for the great Asuka Langley Sohryu," she embraced him back. "Don't you dare tell that to anyone."

"I won't," he chuckled. "Why don't you go rest for a bit while I do the dishes?"

Sporting a wide grin, she grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him through the apartment, into the living room. They walked over the confetti, streamers and worn-out party hats scattered across the floor, not paying any attention to them. Once they reached the couch, Asuka pulled Shinji into a hug and let gravity do the rest of the work. Both teenagers fell on the cushions.

"Forget the dishes," she said. "Stay here with me."

She didn't have to ask twice. Smiling, he returned the hug as they shared a quick but meaningful kiss. The girl got comfortable in his arms and Shinji began to stroke her hair, softly and gently, just how he knew she liked it.

"Thanks for another great birthday," Asuka said. "But next time we have to keep Rei away from alcohol."

They both shuddered at the memory. During the party, Ayanami had expressed curiosity about beer, since she always saw Misato chugging whole cans of the stuff. The new Director of Nerv had given her just a small sip, but that had been more than enough to deactivate Rei's inhibitions. She didn't became drunk, just very, very excited.

It had been funny at first, watching her dance and crack jokes, acting so unlike herself. Then, without warning, Rei had grabbed Shinji and Asuka by the shoulders while loudly demanding, and we quote: 'Lots of red-haired nieces and nephews.'

"Agreed," he said as a small laugh escaped his lips. Despite the embarrasment of the moment, it had been sort of funny.

Asuka giggled as well. For a while they did nothing but lay there, locked in a pleasant embrace. It was one of their favorite 'activities', especially for the more boring moments of the day, or whenever they were too tired to do anything else. Sometimes on the couch and sometimes on their bed, they would find safety and peace in each other's arms. They could spend hours like that, basking in their mutual warmth, talking about important issues, about trivial matters or not talking at all.

"Hey, Shinji," Asuka said, eventually.

"Yes?"

"Do you ever stop to think that all of this, where and how we are now, started because I dared you to kiss me after an argument over D&D?"

Her boyfriend didn't answer, not immediately. The hand running down her hair became hesitant and erratic for an instant, and the girl could feel a change in the rhythm of his breathing.

"Sometimes I do," Shinji admitted. "It's kind of scary. I mean… Would things have gone differently if you hadn't dared me? What if there had been no argument, or even no game? Could we still have gotten together, even without it?"

Asuka shrugged.

"I honestly don't know, Schumsebacke," she sighed. "I was too closed off those days, too angry at everything. The game was a huge help. That first adventure you ran for me, even with that fight at the end… for the first time in years, I had fun. I was comfortable, I wasn't worried, I felt that… that I could be honest with you and with myself," she sighed again. "Remember Zeruel, the Fourteenth?"

How could he not? Nobody in Nerv would ever forget the most destructive of all Angels, that seemingly unstoppable behemoth who had blasted through the GeoFront's defenses without effort. Units 02 and 00 had fallen before the beast, and Shinji would have died if he hadn't reached a crazy 322% synchronization rate with his Eva, and action which had almost caused him to dissolve in the entry plug. Misato and Ritsuko had scolded him for days after that.

"Yes," he answered.

"Remember how bitchy I got after you killed him?"

"Don't say that," Shinji stroked her back, wanting to comfort her. "You didn't get bitchy."

"Yes I did," the redhead grumbled as she pinched his left buttcheek.

"Ouch."

"Stop defending me when I don't deserve it. I was a bitch sometimes back then; you and I have to accept it. At that moment, I was furious because I hadn't even scratched that stupid Angel. I'm sure you recall what happened next: I went to your hospital room and spent a good hour and a half throwing a temper tantrum, complaining about everything," she smiled and kissed his neck. "And I have to say, you endured it like a champ."

"It wasn't too bad. You just needed to let it out."

"But my point is: that only happened because I had already shared some of my issues with you, so I guess my failure didn't affect me much. That, Shinji, was thanks to the game. Without it, we wouldn't have had those talks, like the one before the Thirteenth Angel, or the one after the Twelfth… I don't think I would've accompanied you to visit your mother's grave, either."

"I wouldn't have asked you to go on a date with me," the boy said, a shiver running down his spine as the realization hit him. "I would've been too scared."

"And I too angry, so imagine how badly I would have reacted after Zeruel. Most likely, I would have avoided you and hated you, believing that you had stolen my glory. I don't know, but I think getting together isn't easy when you are like that. Not impossible, just… very hard."

Asuka noticed that his boyfriend was growing tenser. She quickly began to stroke his back, just as he often did, to help him banish the bad thoughts.

"Let's not think about that," she cooed. "Let's not worry about 'what ifs' and 'what if nots.' Sorry I brought it up."

"Yeah, let's not," he said, kissing her forehead. "I'm so glad that I was brave enough to take on your dare that afternoon."

"Me too."

And yet, an unpleasant idea had crept forth from Asuka's subconscious, and she could not push it back. Shinji sensed that she was worried and tightened the hug, gently squeezing her against his chest. The girl sighed and shared her thoughts:

"Our relationship owes its existence to a tabletop game. Do you think we're pathetic?"

"No," he answered. It was an immediate reply, and his voice had turned a bit more serious. "We were broken kids, that's all. We needed something we could use as a stepping stone to heal, to make things better. The game helped us, but we were the ones who got over our issues." Shinji rested his head on hers, feeling the softness of her hair on his cheeks. He would never get tired of that. "I don't think we're pathetic."

Soothed by his words, Asuka closed her eyes. She smiled as all the worries abandoned her body, leaving only peace.

"I know I've said this many times, but you're not an idiot, Shinji. That's just my pet name for you. Don't ever believe that you are one, okay?"

"Okay."

They didn't say anything else. There was no need. They let the cuddling do all the talking, comfortable in their nest of cushions.

Too comfortable, in fact. Shinji could feel his eyelids getting heavier by the second. If they stayed like that, they would probably fall asleep right there, in each other's arms. It had happened more than once already. Normally it wouldn't be a problem, since both he and Asuka loved it; but at that moment he could not afford the luxury. They couldn't sleep, not yet. There was something he needed to do.

"Asuka, can I get up for a moment?"

She stirred, letting out a small groan.

"Seriously, Shinji, forget the dishes. Let Pen-pen take care of that. He can, I've seen him doing it."

"It's not that. I want to get something from our room. Then I'll come back and I'll stay here for as long as you want."

"Aright, fine," she conceded, pouting at her boyfriend as he left the couch.

Shinji returned in no time. As soon as he lay next to her, Asuka trapped him in a possessive embrace, also wrapping a leg around his waist to make sure that he wouldn't go anywhere. He chuckled, not at all bothered by that clingy display of affection.

And she knew he liked it.

Asuka noticed something getting in the way of their hug, and quite literally. She looked down and saw that he was holding a gray notebook.

"What's that?" she asked.

"An extra present," he explained.

"Another present? Oh, Shinji, you spoil me," after kissing him on the cheek, she took the notebook and skimmed through it. The pages were filled with his handwriting. "What is it?"

"The lore of my setting, from the game we're going to play with everyone. It's yours now. You can read it if you want."

The pages stopped turning. Asuka closed the notebook and stared at it, mouth agape, as if it was the most unique and important of treasures. Her surprise was not due to the object itself, but rather, because of what it implied. The girl looked at her boyfriend in the eyes.

"I'll have more information than the other players," she said. "Aren't you worried that I will metagame?"

"I know you won't."

"Well, yeah, it's beneath me… but what if you didn't know?"

He smiled.

"I would give to you all the same, because I trust you."

Trust. That was all the answer she needed.

They both had learned something in the past two years: that a relationship can't survive on love alone. For it to last, to stand the test of time, to survive through sickness and health and through the better and the worse; trust is needed. Trust that the other person will be always there for you. Trust that whatever bickering and anger might arise will not last forever. Trust that you can open your heart and share your joys and worries without fear of not being understood. Trust that they will never hurt you, at least not intentionally.

Asuka moved her leg, putting an end to the possessive hug and replacing it with a gentle snuggle. She lay her head on his chest and passed him the notebook.

"Read it to me, Shinji," the girl said. "Just a little. We'll leave the rest for another day."

"Of course."

Asuka closed her eyes, letting his hearbeat soothe her as he started to narrate…

The Beginning, the End

There came a time when doom fell upon all worlds.

On the night of a profane day, on the month of Rova, under the unlight of a new moon; the archdevil Asmodeus snuck into the dreaded Pit of Gormuz. Disguised as the most harmless and uneventful of shadows, he moved through the many caverns, speeding past the monsters and the aberrations that called that place their home. He descended into the fiery bowels, deeper and deeper, until he reached the Dead Vault. There, he beheld the loathsome form of Rovagug the Worldbreaker, who is also called the Unmaker, the Rough Beast and the Great Destroyer. For eons he had remained trapped in the core of the planet, like an insect caught in amber, sealed behind binding runes and magical wards, his worm-like body pierced by the massive Star Towers. The Prince of Darkness shed his shadowy cloak and stood in all the hellish glory of its true form. Rovagug growled at him, recognizing one of the architects of his prison. Then, Asmodeus took, from under his black robes, a key. It had been crafted long ago, and with such cunning and skill that only the archdevil could turn it.

And turn it he did.

Why would the Prince of Hell release the same monster he had once helped incarcerate? We shall never know the reason, for Asmodeus was the first victim of the End Times, swallowed whole by Rovagug. As the Unmaker wriggled and turned in the planet's burning bowels, earthquakes ravaged the surface of Golarion. Volcanoes erupted on all continents, spitting streams of black smoke towards the sky and vomiting all-consuming lava over meadows, plains and forests. The oceans shook, and hundreds of ports and coastal cities sunk beneath colossal waves. When the Rough Beast managed to break the last of his chains, the Star Towers crumbled, and those who witnessed their demise fell on their knees and wept, for they knew that the End had arrived.

All across Golarion, the loathsome Spawn of Rovagug reacted to the stirring of their progenitor. In the city of Sothis, the carapace of Ulunat revived, and the great beetle laid waste to the metropolis. Chemnosit, the Monarch Worm, consumed everything it could find in the subterranean Darklands before boring its way to the surface. The Tarrasque burst out of its prison and marched through the continent of Avistan, leaving a trail of desolation in its wake. Volnarug the End-Singer flew over many cities and empires, and its cry drove thousands to insanity.

As Rovagug ascended from the depths, the Pit of Gormuz was split open, an event that pushed Golarion's tectonic plates and caused a second wave of earthquakes. The crust of the planet cracked, giving birth to vast chasms which bled seas of magma and swallowed entire cities. In the midst of this chaos, the Rough Beast raised his aberrant head towards the heavens, opened his many-jawed maw and let out a horrifying screech, so loud that storms and hurricanes brewed all across the world. Upon hearing the voice of their progenitor, his spawn ran, trotted, flew and crawled over the ruined and burning lands, back to the broken Pit of Gormuz. Rovagug devoured his own children as they returned to their birthplace, and he grew even larger and mightier.

It was then that the blackened, ash-tainted skies parted open, and a legion of gods descended upon Golarion. They rode on beams of golden light and on roaring fireballs, on many-forked lightning and on holy blizzards. They attacked the Rough Beast with the fury of a thousand suns, seeking to stop his rampage as they had done in ages past.

Alas, Rovagug moved first. He located the goddess Calistria, the one who had distracted him in their previous fight, and shredded her body to pieces with his many sharp, chitin-clad legs. This enraged Apsu, lord of metallic dragons, and with a blood-curling warcry he clashed against the Worldbreaker. Locked in a violent grapple, they trashed across the land, shattering the last remaining mountains; but the mighty wyrm was eventually overpowered and devoured, and his silver scales cracked under teeth of the Great Destroyer.

Apsu's son, the dragon god Dahak, screamed in rage, for Rovagug had robbed him of the chance of murdering his father. He flew low and breathed his deadly fire, setting the plains ablaze with flames so hot that even the rocks melted; but they could not hurt the Unmaker. In his carelessness, Dahak was caught by the monster and shared his father's destiny through the same many-teethed maw.

The demigod Ghlaunder flew around the dying world and collected all the remaining diseases, wanting to inject them into Rovagug to weaken him, but he could not pierce the skin of the Destroyer. His proboscides shattered, the repugnant Ghlaunder tried to flee, only to be swatted and squashed like the mosquito he resembled.

Shizuru, the samurai goddess from the Minkai archipelago, stepped into the battlefield and unsheathed her katana, whose blade shone with the very light of the sun. From afar, her brother, the Black Daimyo, shot a rain of black arrows at the Rough Beast, and Shizuru took advantage of that distraction to run towards the monster, ready to plunge her sword into his heart. However, Rovagug had become so massive after gorging on his spawn that the katana got stuck in the fat of his body. Unable to retrieve her weapon, the Empress of Heaven was devoured. While they rarely saw eye to eye, the Black Daimyo howled in rage at the loss of his sister and shot many more arrows, but Rovagug breathed a torrent of unnatural black light and vaporized the warrior god right where he stood.

Bright, the goddess of invention, brought down legions of constructs made from brass, steel and adamantine; and threw them against the Worldbreaker to halt his advance. From the millions of bodies left in the wake of the cataclysms, the goddess Urgathoa raised a vast army of undead and sent them to swarm Rovagug, to crush him under their combined weight. Alas, not even their numbers were enough to stall the Great Destroyer, who shook them off like a dog shakes off his fleas, and both undead and constructs fell in the magma-filled chasms that now plagued the planet.

On the wings of a hurricane arrived Hei Feng, the Duke of Thunder, accompanied by his faithful counts of the wind, the rain and the lightning. They threw mighty bolts at the Rough Beast, wanting to peel away his skin; and unleashed a merciless flood, hoping to drown him. In response, Rovagug trashed and stirred so violently that he swept a fourth of Golarion's crust away, flinging rocks and magma through the atmosphere and into space. The fiery projectiles pierced Hei Feng's clouds, and the Duke of Thunder and his counts were consumed by the flames.

Many other deities fell before the Unmaker as the sky and the earth burned. Gorum, the Lord in Iron, saw his greatsword broken by the teeth of Rovagug, and his armor rusted and corroded by the beast's unholy drool. Zagresh, the primal and savage god of the orcs, sought to match his ferocity against the Worldbreaker's, but he emerged the loser and became food for the Great Destroyer. Zursvaater and Thremyr, creators of the fire and frost giants, put a momentary end to their eternal feud to crush a common enemy, only to have his flames extinguished and his ice melted. Yuelral, the elven goddess of magic, tried and failed to encase Rovagug in a prison of enchanted crystals, and met her doom in the maw of the beast. So did Angradd and Ketephys, and Rull the Thunderer and Zarongel the Bark Breaker, and the brutal Urazra as well.

Then, a gust of wind blew away the smoke and the ashes, and the light of the sun shone brightly over the battlefield. The surviving deities held their breath in a hopeful silence as Sarenrae, the Dawnflower, appeared on the sky. In her hand, the winged goddess held a scimitar emblazoned with a radiant fire, although it paled in comparison with the golden flames of her hair.

Rovagug snarled at his ancient enemy, and Sarenrae responded by falling on him like a burning and furious comet. Their clash released a shockwave of such power that Golarion was knocked out of its orbit; but even as the planet swirled through the cosmic void, the Dawnflower and the Unmaker kept fighting. He clawed and gnawed while she slashed and unleashed whirlwinds of scorching light. When it seemed that Sarenrae was about to land a killing blow, Rovagug belched a mighty sirocco of noxious fumes. The goddess was launched across the broken continents and the boiling oceans, her wings blackened by that wind of ruin and corrosion, and the fire of her scimitar extinguished.

When the other deities saw their strongest warrior falling into the cold abyss of space, their hearts were filled with despair and they retreated, knowing that they could not stop the Rough Beast. However, this was not the end of Rovagug's rampage. Without a stable orbit, Golarion soon crashed against its neighboring planet, Akiton the Red. In an instant, the two worlds disappeared in an explosion of molten rock. The Great Destroyer crawled out of the chaos, not hurt or burned, and swam through the void to Castrovel the Green, where he ate the teeming jungles and drank the endless swamps. The inhabitants of the planet, the lashunta, tried to fight him, but Rovagug fed on their armies as he fed on their world. Like a caterpillar on a leaf, he consumed everything he found, growing even larger than he already was.

Once Castrovel was barren and devoid of life, the Unmaker continued his voracious campaign of destruction through the other planets. He stomped and crushed the ancient ruins of Aballon, hunted down the aetherships of Verces, incinerated the undead population of Eox, exterminated the dragons of Triaxus and devoured the many moons of Liavara and Bretheda.

Then, after leaving a trail of broken worlds behind him, after bringing hundreds of civilizations to extinction... Rovagug vanished. Some of the survivors swore that they saw him slithering away through the darkness outside the solar system. Others told of a great final battle between the Rough Beast and Aucturn, the abominable living planet, and that the latter had emerged victorious. Some choose to believe that the Great Destroyer had grown so bloated that he had burst somewhere far away. Others didn't care about the truth, only that the End Times had come and gone and they had been spared.

But there were also those who saw no hope in Rovagug's disappearance. They suspected that it was nothing more than a brief calm before an even worse storm.

They feared that the End Times had just begun.

Shinji closed the notebook, not just because he had finished the first chapter, but also because he could feel that Asuka wasn't as relaxed as before. She raised her body, and the long locks of red hair fell over his chest and shoulders like cascades of fire. However, the boy didn't pay attention to that, since he was busy looking at the blue eyes of his girlfriend. They were full of concern.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Uh?" Shinji blinked, confused by that question. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I?"

"Well…" Asuka shot a glance at the notebook in his hand. "Don't get me wrong, the lore is very cool so far, it's just… The end of the world? Cataclysms? Millions dead? Rovagug breaking free and killing the other gods? You have to admit, it's kind of grim."

She ran a loving yet worried hand through his hair.

"I know I'm probably overreacting," she said. "Just... just promise me that, if there's something bothering you, you'll tell me. That's what we agreed, remember? That we would talk about our troubles instead of letting them eat us from the inside, like we used to."

With a reassuring smile, Shinji dropped the notebook and caressed her cheek.

"I'm fine, Asuka," he said. "Sorry that I worried you. Really, I'm fine. In fact, I think I'm only capable of writing this stuff because I'm happy with my life. I know it sounds weird, but… Look, at the end of the day, it's just fiction. You and I, on the other hand, are real. It doesn't matter what happens there, as long as you're here, with me," Shinji frowned at his own words. "No, that doesn't sound right. I guess I'm still not very good at this sort of stuff. It's certainly harder than writing a campaign. What I mean is–"

She placed two fingers on his lips.

"I know exactly what you mean," the redhead said, smiling back. "I agree. As long as you're here with me… as long as we're here, together…" she leaned in closer. "We'll be… everything will be fine…"

They closed their eyes, getting ready for the imminent kiss.

It was then that something clicked in Asuka's mind, and her instincts as a player took control. Slamming her hands on the couch, at both sides of Shinji's head, she pulled herself up.

"Wait just a verdammt minute!" she exclaimed, staring at his boyfriend with serious eyes. "You told me that we were gonna play Dungeons&Dragons! Why does the lore of your setting begins in the Pathfinder universe?"

The boy chuckled at that sudden mood shift.

"That's a secret," he shrugged "You'll have to read the whole notebook to discover why."

Asuka frowned and pouted, but that only made him giggle. Deciding to change her strategy, she lay on him, making sure to squeeze her breasts against his chest. Shinji's cheeks lighted up like a red traffic light, and she smirked at that.

"You know," the girl said, "you've become quite a tease in these two years."

He gulped, but still managed to reply with:

"W-Well, I had the b-best teacher…"

She let out a theatrical and exaggerated gasp.

"You dare talk back to me?" Asuka cupped his cheeks, pretending to be angry but unable to hide an amused smile. "Oh, that's no good, Third. I'll have to shut you up for a while."

And she did it, using her lips. Shinji embraced her, welcoming the warmth, losing himself in the softness of her lips and enjoying every second of it. They stopped paying attention to everything around them, it wasn't important. All that mattered, for each of them, was the other.

They didn't hear the door opening, or Misato entering in the apartment.

They didn't notice Misato when she picked up a water spray and approached.

They did notice, however, when Misato sprayed them.

"Alright, that's enough!" she ordered as the startled teenagers fell off the couch. "On your feet, you two! Hands where I can see them!"

Asuka was the first to obey, but only so that she could stare daggers at the woman. Shinji remained on his knees, his face dotted with droplets.

"Now listen here!" Misato said, addressing the German girl. "Just because you turned sixteen today it doesn't mean that you can let your hormones run wild, especially not in my apartment!"

"First off!" the redhead retorted, offended. "We were just kissing! Second, why do you accuse me? How do you know that Shinji didn't get horny and pulled me down into the couch?"

"Yeah, right," Misato rolled her eyes. "And I'm the new Prime Minister of Japan. You should know him better. He's your boyfriend, after all."

Asuka stuck out her tongue, and her former guardian sprayed more water on her face.

"Oh, leave them be," a female voice giggled behind the owner of the apartment.

Misato turned around to look at a red-haired woman, only a couple of years older than herself. At least, her body was. The side effect of being trapped in an Eva core for a decade.

"How can you be so nonchalant about this?" the Director of Nerv protested. "We're talking about your daughter, Kyoko!"

"And about my future son in law, so what's the matter?" Doctor Zeppelin Sohryu asked. "Besides, they told me that you used to tease them about this. What happened?"

"They became a couple, that's what happened! It's not funny when there's an actual possibility of them doing it!"

"Come on, Misato. They're sixteen, in love and pretty mature for their age. As long as they're responsible and use protection, I don't see anything wrong. Besides…" Kyoko's lips bent into an impish smile. "If they're going to give Rei 'lots of red-haired nieces and nephews,' they better start practicing right now!"

"MOOOOOM!"

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

Asuka and Shinji did not have sex after that. Or, if you think sixteen is an acceptable age for a couple to start, they did. Choose whichever option you prefer.

Seriously though, if you think this last scene is inappropriate or in poor taste, let me know and I'll never do it again.

I hope you've liked this experiment inside an experiment. Every now and then, we'll have an interlude exploring the lore of Shinji's setting. This will allow me to write two of my favorite things: WAFFy Asushin and apocalyptic cosmic battles between gods.

Sometimes I worry about the stuff I like to write.

Those of you who have read my short story "Til Booze Do Us (Not) Part" might notice that I've re-used an idea: Asuka accompanying Shinji to visit Yui's grave. I really like it, and I'll probably use it in other fics.

Schumsebacke is another German term of endearment, this one meaning 'smoosh cheeks.' I'm not running out of these anytime soon.

I'm not exactly familiar with Pathfinder, other than the deities and some of the cosmology, so I had to check the wikis a lot. Those of you who know the setting better than me, let me know if I have gotten any details wrong.

Last but not least, I hope you're not bothered by Kyoko's presence. If you recall, the first chapter briefly mentions that Adam forced all Evas to release the souls inside their cores. I wanted to have Kyoko around for the teasing potential.

Thanks to everyone who followed, favorited and/or reviewed. Your support means a lot to me, and I'm really happy you like this silly experiment of mine.

Have a Happy New Year! Let's hope that 2021 goes easy on us.