Chapter 2: Discomfort

The sun rose, shining through the open windows of the Katsuragi household. Misato happened to get home at around 5AM, and she just decided to stay up until the morning. She was in the kitchen, with a cup of coffee, the cup with a plastered NERV logo on it. The coffee began to wake her and make her alert. Looking at the time, she saw it was already 7:00, time to wake both eva-pilots for school. She moved over to Asuka's room and slid open the door. The sheets were in a heap, and there was no pilot, nor person in the room. Misato now was visibly confused, she slowly walked out the room, still looking for a trace of the redheaded eva pilot. She moved over to see if Shinji was still in his room. The major slid open the door, and exploded in a fit of laughter.

"You have to be kidding me!" Misato laughed, still holding her stomach in between chuckles.

Misato ran, looking for a camera, or a phone, or anything that can take a photo of this. Shinji was asleep in his bed. The sheets were half-way off his bed, just covering his knees down. Asuka was on his bed, half on half off, her left arm on Shinji's chest, right arm off the bed. Her legs were dangling off the bed and Shinji's right arm was over Asuka. Misato ran back, with a polaroid in hand. She snapped a quick photo, the large flash accompanied with the whirring sound made Shinji wake up. He was confused, half-asleep still, and groggily looking down.

"A-Asuka? What the hell!?" Shinji screamed, shaking Asuka awake. "What the hell are you doing in here?"

"Hmm? Wha-?" Asuka muttered, trying to fall asleep.

Shinji moved her off and she gazed at him, and then she realized.

"What!?" "Misato, did you do this?!" Asuka screamed, turning to see her guardian stand there with a camera. Asuka lunged at her trying to take the polaroid photo from Misato.

"Give it to me!" Asuka blurted out as she was trying to claw her way to the photo.

Shinji was still shell-shocked, he had no clue what happened. His brown hair was a mess and he got up, slowly sneaking from the fight that Asuka and Misato were in and tried to get ready for the upcoming school day. Still slowly shuffling past laughing Misato and a tempered Asuka was like a life or death moment. Making breakfast seemed to calm them down a little bit. Toast, two sunnyside eggs, and a couple of sausages for everybody. Asuka still had a red face and she ate breakfast as fast as possible. Changing into a school uniform, she was ready to head with Shinji to the school. Misato still couldn't contain her laughter as they were walking out.

Shinji was first out, around 4 meters in front of Asuka, who was running towards him to try to talk.

"Hey, what happened last night?" Shinji asked, noticing Asuka right behind him. Her footsteps and panting were evident, you could hear them from a mile away.

"I- I don't want to talk about it. Wait, damn it, I forgot my phone." Asuka clearly had something to hide, Shinji's suspicion grew larger and larger as they continued the run to school.

Shinji wondered what happened, Asuka looked exhausted when she woke up and she didn't wake up to Misato's laughter. 'Is she okay?' Shinji thought to himself.

"Hey, how are your- um… ribs?" Shinji muttered, he didn't know if Asuka wanted to talk about the injury or not.

"See for yourself." Asuka panted out, still running. They both stopped and Asuka lifted up her shirt to show the wound still wrapped in gauze… and more articles of clothing and areas she didn't want to show.

Asuka turned bright red when she realized, running and screaming the word pervert, over and over. Shinji had a rosy pink on his cheeks, not knowing if he should run after her, or just go a different path to school. He picked the latter, going straight, not turning left after Asuka.

Shinji walked to school, making it in before the bell rang, finding his buddies.

Hikari took him by surprise behind him, pushing him on a locker.

"Oh hi, class rep." Shinji said calmly.

Hikari looked angry, ready to snap, but as the class rep, she tried to stay calm.

"Asuka ran in here, redder than a tomato. She was angry as hell. What did you do?" Hikari yelled, keeping her calm, she wanted to help her friend.

Shinji pushed Hikari off of him. He scoffed at her, telling her that it was nothing she needed to know. If she wanted to know, she could ask Asuka. He walked away, not believing he's getting in trouble after Asuka admitted that she would be nicer. She broke it, he was disgusted. He walked into the classroom, looking at Asuka, who was glaring knives and daggers at him. The class ended, and Shinji most likely had more anger than Asuka in him. He booked it to the lunchroom and saw Asuka. He dragged her to the same area.

"Do you want to repeat yesterday? I'll happily do it." Shinji chuckled.

Asuka started to weep and cry, trying not to release the personality she tried to keep under wraps.

"I just felt uncomfortable, I didn't mean it." Asuka cried.

Shinji dropped her, unable to hit her.

"You really are an idiot, fucking shithead" Asuka sniffled and yelled.

Shinji asked again how her ribs are. He was actually worried because she had been complaining about it for the past day.

"I think you broke them! Asshole! I swear to god, I thought you were confident or some shit. I thought you grew a spine. You're just a limpless bitch!" Asuka screamed, putting her finger on his chest, her spit covering Shinji's face as she wailed on. Shinji couldn't control himself. He woke up to embarrassment, was yelled at for something that wasn't his fault, then told he's a spineless idiot for not beating the shit out of somebody that he hated. Shinji shoved Asuka down, it was an exact same repeat of yesterday.

"You should have shut up, I brought you here so I can apologize. You broke your fucking promise after less than 12 hours! I didn't do this so you could insult me for not beating the shit out of you. If you'd like, I'll do it… right now." Shinji said, menacingly staring at Asuka."

He slammed his foot into her knee, causing her to fall. She saw her mistake, it was too late to stop Shinji. He looked at her. "How are your ribs?" he laughed, knowing that Asuka knew what he was about to do.

"Please-" Asuka tried as she felt as her ribs imploded on her, she was unable to move. Shinji had kicked her in the same spot, causing more pain. She felt bile and she threw up the breakfast he made her this morning.

"Look, you threw up breakfast. I made that just for you, why are you so disrespectful?" Shinji said while holding her head. He was tired of this whole charade, he tried to hide, to run from his problems. He knew now that he shouldn't run. Asuka got up, trying to clean herself off even with her knee on fire. Shinji showed little to no mercy. Kicking Asuka down to the ground again before walking away from her, not being able to look at her face. Asuka once again began to cry. She ran after Shinji, but he was still faster, making it to the lunchroom with his pals in it. Asuka came soon after, with large tear marks under her blue eyes with a stain on her outfit.

"Holy fuck, what in the hell did you do to her, Shinji!?" Toji blurted, Shinji sitting down. He wanted to throw up.

Shinji chuckled, he looked at Toji, who had fear in his eyes, he whispered, "I vanquished the demon." Toji stared at him, surprised at what had happened and his words. Asuka ran up to Shinji, "I'm gonna fucking tell Misato, you bitch. I'm not apologizing for what I said, you're a dick." Asuka whispered, Shinji unfazed. "Go ahead, here's my phone, go call her, tell her to pick you up love!" Shinji said sarcastically, giving Asuka the phone from his back pocket. Asuka snatched it and ran out of the lunchroom, noticing the crowd she had fixed on her.

"Ugh, this is so fucking stupid!" Asuka yelled, she dialed the saved number, Misato. She noticed that Shinji had her number as Bitch. She grew even more angry and upset.

"Helloooo Shinji, what's wrong?" Misato said in a singsong voice, "I'm at the apartment right now, you need something?"

Asuka chimed in, "Hey, Misato-" she still was stuffed up from the fight. She winced in pain as she continued, "Can you pick Shinji and I up, I need to talk to you about something."

Misato told her she's on her way, and hung up. Asuka walked right back in the lunchroom, giving Shinji the phone, "You're fucked." she told him.

Misato got in her car, and began to drive, baffled at the call she just received from Asuka. She didn't think it was an emergency, so she parked her car and walked to the main office. She saw the secretary, asking her to sign out both pilots. A couple minutes later, Misato was in the main office when she heard the announcement.

"Shinji Ikari, Soryu Asuka Langley, please report to the main office , you are being sent home." The P.A was half broken, so the whirring noise that it made basically deafened the lunchroom and the students eating there.

Shinji walked slowly, giving his goodbyes. While Asuka was running towards the office to find Misato sitting there, jaw dropped.

"Holy shit, what the fuck happened to you?" Misato blurted, "Sorry, language." She covered her mouth. Asuka just told her that she will tell her in the car. Shinji walked in smiling, telling Misato that we could head out. Misato thanked the office workers, then she walked hurriedly holding both kids. Asuka got in the back, her arms around her ribs, Shinji chilling in the seat next to her.

"Could somebody explain what the hell happened to Asuka today?" Misato faced them, not turning the car on.

"H- He fucking beat the shit out of me." Asuka crying. Shinji with a small chuckle. He couldn't help it.

"Crying? Wow." Shinji said, Misato with a not so kind look on her face.

"Shinji. What. The. Fuck?!" Misato screamed, slapping Shinji, he did seem hurt from the attack.

"What did you do? I have never even seen Asuka cry, or go to ME or anybody for help!" Misato screamed with a look of pure anger.

Shinji flicked Asuka, a nod that she should say.

"Well, yesterday-" Asuka started before Misato cut her off.

"Wait, wait, wait, yesterday?" Misato asked. "Go on, sorry."

"Yesterday, I grabbed Shinji and brought him to a part of the school and I yelled at him for looking for me in class. He then went on a rant about how I'm a bitch and I yelled. Then he shoved me and slammed his foot onto my ribs. Then, he did the same to my ankle." She showed the injury to Misato, who was shaken. It was Shinji, not Asuka. We argued more in the changing room, as well at night. I went to his room to ask him something, but I fell asleep.

"So, it was you who did that." Shinji remarked.

"Today, we were walking to school, and he asked how my ribs are. I showed him but showed a bit much. At school, he dragged me over, he was angry at me. So I yelled at him a little, and then he got tired of it, and kicked my ribs again. I threw up, explaining this stain. Then, when I got up, he gave me his phone and told me to call you, with a smile on his face!" Asuka cried out, she was still in pain.

"You left out the part where you promised to be nicer to me, and the fact that you were yelling at me because I was spineless. I took you to the spot the second time to apologize. Not to beat the shit of you. You yelled at me for not beating you up, then you lied to me, got me in trouble with your friends. I was pissed off, YOU made me snap." Shinji retorted, basically yelling at Asuka.

Misato in the front was confused. She didn't know what to say. It was Asuka's fault that Shinji snapped, and beat her, but at the same time, Shinji beat her. But then, Asuka has done it before too, Shinji dealing with it. Way too many things flooded her brain, and she just put her head on the wheel, listening to the honk sound, drowning both teens out. Shinji tried climbing to the front, but Asuka kicked him in the back.

"Fuck! Asuka what the hell?" Shinji said, slamming into Misato. He tried to grab Misato off, but when she was off the horn, she was knocked out.

"Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!" Shinji screamed, "I think I knocked her out when you pushed me into her."

Asuka was scared, "I-"

"Why? I was trying to help Misato, and you could have fucking killed her?" Shinji screamed, pointing at Asuka.

Shinji slapped Misato to try to wake her up, but nothing happened. Shinji told Asuka to stay in the car. He ran out to the nearest payphone, fumbling a 50 yen cent from his fell to the floor, he bent down to pick it up. He grabbed it and shoved it in the coin slot, calling Gendo, his father.

"Hello?" Gendo spoke with a deep tone, no emotion.

Shinji gulped, "Father, can you come pick me and Asuka from school?"

"Major Katsurag-" Gendo told Shinji before the boy cut him off.

"She is unconscious, she is here, but she's unconscious, can you send a Section 2 car, or somebody? Please." Shinji said with fear in his mouth, you can taste it from the other side of the phone.

You could hear an audible Mhmm, from the phone. The phone hung up, and Shinji ran back to the car. Asuka was shaking their guardian, to no avail. Shinji jumped in the car. "Section-2 is on the way here." Asuka sighed, with a deep look of sorry on her face.

Asuka was shaking, still scared of Shinji. Shinji was scared but for different reasons. A black car showed up, with an arm waving a NERV keycard out the window. The pilots got into the car, with two men getting out to get the unconscious Major inside of the car as well, with NERV medical staff inside. They all have the tan outfits, administering care to Misato.

"Hey, Third." that was the voice of one of the NERV Section-2 Workers, he handed Shinji a phone. It was his father, who informed him that they will be home, while Misato will be sent to the infirmary. Shinji agreed, and he passed it back to the worker. They made it to the Geo-Front, rushing the unconscious Misato to the E.R. Both teens watched as their guardian was wheeled off by several nurses and doctors. Section-2 escorted both teens to the apartment, asking them simple questions.

"What happened? This is the only question you need to ask." Section-2 looked at both pilots.

"Well, Misato went onto the horn, and stayed there, so I went over the dashboard and I slipped and hit straight into her. I pulled her off and she wouldn't wake up. It's my fault" Shinji told the Section-2 worker. Asuka looked at him, knowing the lie, she was going to pitch in but Shinji pinched her. Asuka winced a bit, but nothing else happened. Section-2 finished their notes, and they left, telling both children that they will be contacted when Misato wakes up. Asuka looked at Shinji, and asked him.

"I- I was such a bitch to you, why would you do that?"

"I'm not going to get you in trouble." Shinji replied, squeezing her hand.

She didn't pull her hand away, she didn't call him a pervert, she didn't even slap him. He glared at her. Her back. They weren't arguing, they were together, for now. Shinji moved in for a hug. She did the same, and he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. She started to cry.

"Hey, it's okay." Shinji whispered to her.

"'No, you're hurting my ribs." Asuka replied, wincing and gritting teeth.

Shinji let go of her, apologizing. He lifted up her shirt just a little bit, to see the injury.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?" Asuka asked. He felt the injury, they weren't broken, but they were swollen.

"I bruised your ribs. I'm sorry about it, I went a little nuts." Shinji told her. He dropped her shirt. "You may want to change, it still has breakfast on it." Shinji asked in a suggestive tone.

Asuka glared at him and walked away, mumbling on how the other eva pilots were dicks. She walked back with a loose top, and a pair of jean shorts. He tried to ask her what she wanted for dinner, but she obviously wasn't hungry. He was uncomfortable, it was eerie silent. "So, what happened to the angel?" Shinji asked, he was out of power, sitting there.

"It turned into the 3rd angel or something, I destroyed the costume, then I destroyed the core when it was morphing." Asuka recalled. Shinji listened, not satisfied with the lack of detail. She slumped in front of him, asking him.

"Do you really hate me?"

"No, I don't.." Shinji said, blushing a little. He looked at Asuka, who was frowning.

"I'm not convinced." Asuka replied, upset. She was pissed off. Prove it, was what Asuka told him. Asuka leaned in, closer to Shinji. He didn't pull away. Their lips grazed each other. Shinji put his right hand on Asuka's face. She closed her eyes, and hugged Shinji. After 5 minutes, they finally parted. They were both blushing hard, visibly pink. They took a minute, just chuckling a little. They both enjoyed it, it was better than the first time. Shinji remembered it, he almost passed out.

"I-, I'm convinced, Shinji" Asuka whispered in his ear.

She looked exhausted, he carried her over to the bed, lightly putting her down, he covered her with a blanket. He sat next to the bed, lying next to Asuka.

Shinji woke up in the middle of the night, looking up at Asuka. She was asleep, but in discomfort and pain. He raised her shirt, and saw that the injury she had was even worse. He went to the kitchen, got an ice pack. He put it over her ribs. He kissed her forehead goodnight, lying on the floor.

TO BE CONTINUED…