Interlude 3: Ponderings in Paint

Hyuga Residence, Tokyo-3

Major Makoto Hyuga sat comfortably at home in the morning, reading a mystery novel that he had been meaning to get to for a while.

It was a calm, quiet, somewhat empty space, quite befitting of the usual image of a single man's somewhat lonely residence. And yet, there were hints of intrusion into the space. A spare bottle of wine sat in a rack in the cupboard. A few treasured cards and photos decorated the fridge and were scattered around the space. And one perfume, in particular, seemed to linger in the air still, even so long after its owner had left.

But that intrusion was slow, and even Hyuga did not entirely notice it some days. But it was there, nonetheless.

His mind wandered, as it sometimes did, to the exotic, mysterious beauty that was Adira Faez. She was… a complex person. That intrigued Makoto even still, even after many of her secrets had been laid bare before him in the days and weeks after that fateful hospital visit. Those were treasured memories, even as he blushed slightly recalling them.

But she was hurt, still, in a way that he was unsure of how to help with. He'd helped some, that much was certain, but he hadn't helped enough for her to be comfortable being around him. Was it the military part of her that squirmed at a relationship with a superior officer, however hollow that title was outside of combat? Or was it something else?

He pondered on the questions, turning them in his mind as he silently studied the implications and possibilities when the ringing of the doorbell caused him to jump slightly. 'Who could that be?'

He stood, putting his book on the arm of his chair as he made his way to the door and opened it. His eyebrows rose slightly in surprise as he found the green-haired clone of Rei standing before him. 'What was her name again? ...Ah, yes.'

"Hello, Ichigo." Makoto said. "What can I do for you?"

"Hello, Major Hyuga." Ichigo replied, her mannerisms not entirely divorced from Rei's usual reservedness. "I would like to ask a question concerning Captain Faez. Commander Katsuragi said that you would be the best person to ask."

'She did, did she?' Makoto wondered. 'Seems I'm a little too slow for Misato's liking, aren't I?'

"I mean, I don't know why you aren't asking her," he said aloud, "but I'll answer as best I can."

"I am currently in the process of exploring my creativity, and one of the methods which I have most taken to is painting. I have also heard that Captain Faez paints as well. Is this true?" Ichigo asked with an inquisitive look in her eyes.

'Well, then.' Makoto thought as he blinked in surprise. 'Can't say I entirely expected that.'

"Well, yes, she does, actually." Makoto said after a moment. "She's quite good at it too. Why do you ask?"

Ichigo was silent for a moment as her expression became unreadable. "Would she, perhaps… be interested in teaching me about painting? I am only somewhat familiar, and feel I need a teacher to help show me more."

It was silent again as Makoto processed the question. 'It's her day off too, right? Hold on…'

Makoto sighed quietly as his questioning produced an affirmative answer. "Well, how about we go visit and you could ask her yourself?"

He suspected such was to be the true end of this conversation, and silently congratulated Misato on her skills of perception and deception. 'That is, probably, what you've wanted me to say, isn't it, Misato?'

"That would be amenable." Ichigo replied, a slight smile on her face. "Thank you."

. . .

Faez Residence

Captain Adira Faez watched the television on an American station, letting an old science fiction movie she remembered from her childhood play out in front of her.

She didn't quite know what had driven her to seek this out. There were, after all, plenty of actual aliens to go out and just talk to, an eminent possibility given her position at NERV. And, with the things that she had learned recently… of Major Theisman dying then coming back to life during the Angel War… she had questions.

But that still didn't answer why she was watching this movie. It irked her, like a thorn stuck just deep enough to resist picking out…

Her father. He had always enjoyed these sorts of movies. Even the cheesiest, most boring ones. A memory sprang to mind.

She had watched a portion of one of the more cheesy sci-fi movies that he watched and had rolled her eyes once again. "Oh, come on, father," she had finally said, "how do you enjoy these dumb old movies anyway?"

He had paused the movie then, looking back at her with a patient look. "Well, Adira, they are just fun to watch and sometimes laugh at, for one." he said in an equally patient tone.

Then, his gaze softened, and his eyes began to gleam with wonder. "But it also shows that we still dream. That we look beyond ourselves and try to see what is out there."

He shifted on the couch to face her, then poked her in the center of her chest. "You are a dreamer, Adira. I can see it in the paintings you make. Don't stop dreaming." he said with a smile.

'I'm sorry, father.'

Adira thought, silently despairing at the distant memory. 'I don't want to dream anymore.'

The ring of a doorbell shook her from her reverie, and she shook her head. 'Who the hell could that be?'

She stood, making her way to the door, not particularly caring how presentable she was. It had been a hard few days, with little in the way of sleep, and much in the way of painting. And burning.

She opened the door and fought to keep her eyes from widening as she saw Makoto on the other side. Beside him was Ichigo, the clone of Rei Ayanami.

"Oh, hi." she said after a moment, a shade awkwardly. "Can I help you two?"

Makoto was similarly somewhat uncomfortable. "Well, Ichigo here came and asked me a question, and I figured you would better be able to answer it."

"And that would be?" Adira asked with an arched eyebrow, turning her gaze to the thin, pale young lady standing beside her.

Ichigo looked back at her with those deep red eyes that honestly creeped her out a little. "I have been told that you paint as a hobby. Is that correct?"

Adira blinked. "Well…" she said slowly after a moment. "Yes. But-"

"Would you be willing to teach me?" Ichigo interrupted, her eyes now gleaming with what Adira thought might be excitement.

"Uh…" Adira replied, her mind spinning as she considered things, her eyes darting back and forth between Ichigo and Makoto. 'If I let her in, then I'm likely letting him in. No! Don't let him in! But…"

Adira sighed after a moment. "Well, I suppose I could." she turned, nodding into the apartment. "Come in."

Ichigo stepped in, taking off her shoes and slipping on the slippers before advancing down the hall.

Adira looked over at Makoto and nodded again. "You too, Hyuga."

Then she turned and walked after Ichigo, leaving a wide-eyed Makoto on the doorstep.

Makoto blushed slightly but followed her lead after a moment. As he entered the living room, Adira turned off a television and walked into her bedroom, emerging after a moment with two easels and a package of thick paper.

"So, what do you know so far?" Adira asked as she set up the easels, putting the paper on the easels as she walked over into the conjoining kitchen and opened up a cupboard.

"Well, I have a decent grasp of color theory," Ichigo replied, as Adira returned to the living room with brushes and pots of paint, "as well as an understanding of capturing inanimate objects. However, I have only had about a week's worth of practice in terms of painting."

"I see." Adira said, setting the paints down and cupping her chin thoughtfully as she pondered. "Well, you have as good a start as any could ask for, I guess, but it could always be built on."

She looked around, then her eyes landed on Makoto, and she nodded slowly. "Take a seat, Hyuga." she said, in a voice that brooked no argument. "And get comfortable. You might be here for a while."

Hyuga's eyes widened, then he nodded, sitting down on the chair and shifting slightly for a moment as he became uncomfortably aware of himself.

"Good." Adira said, a slight smile on her face that lingered on Makoto before turning to Ichigo.

"Alright, I hope you're ready for your first lesson," she said to Ichigo, "because we're going to be starting with a live subject."

. . .

Makoto sat carefully in place, watching as Adira and Ichigo sat behind their easels, peeking past them every once in a while as they spoke quietly to each other.

Thus, he was left alone with his thoughts. 'I wonder what Misato was thinking we could get out of this. I mean, I'm glad Ichigo is getting some help with painting, but as for Adira… I don't know. She hasn't done anything but tell me to sit still whenever she's glanced over at me. I wonder what she's thinking.'

Adira was similarly solitary in her thoughts, though she pulled herself out of them from time to time to offer direction in the mixture of paints for skin tones, proper shading, and a few other areas where Ichigo was somewhat lacking in.

'I'd almost forgotten what painting just for fun was like, really. I mean, there's one,' she thought, sparing a glance towards the portrait of the city skyline, 'but… everything else has burned. Even the pictures with him in it. With… her.'

The hours passed by, and eventually, Adira nodded. "Alright," she said, looking over at Ichigo's progress. It was rough still, which was to be expected, but surprisingly decent for someone who had only been painting for a week, "I think we'll call it for today. Would you like me to keep your piece here so you can come and finish it?"

Ichigo regarded the paper for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. I would appreciate that. Thank you."

They all stood, Makoto stretching slightly as Ichigo and Adira walked over. "Thanks for being a calm model, Hyuga." Adira said.

"No problem." Makoto replied. "It's a change of pace, that's for certain." he said with a slight chuckle.

Adira snorted softly. "I'm sure. Well, you probably need to get Ichigo home."

In Makoto's mind, alarms began to ring. 'If I'm going to say something, it has to be now!' he thought with no small amount of alarm.

Before he could open his mouth, however, Ichigo spoke up. "There is no need for him to take me. We are close enough to my home that I can walk home without issue."

She smiled at Hyuga slightly, knowingly. "Thank you for your assistance. It is much appreciated." she said levelly.

With that, she walked towards the doorway, disappearing from sight.

Adira then looked at Makoto with a raised eyebrow. "Alright. I guess I'll be seeing you later, then." she said levelly.

"Well… actually…" Makoto said, a blush coming to his cheeks. "I wondered if we might be able to talk. It's been a little while."

It was silent as Adira's other eyebrow joined its sister. "What is there to talk about, really?" she asked quietly.

Makoto sighed. "You… you're hurt. And I want to help. I don't know if it's something I said or did, or if I'm even the problem, but…" he trailed off for a moment. "I care, Adira." he said simply, quietly.

It was silent again, as Adira's eyebrows lowered, and her eyes narrowed at the now furiously blushing Makoto who, nevertheless, stood his ground, meeting her gaze with no small amount of courage. 'Damn it. He's right.'

Adira sighed quietly. "Yeah." she said, equally quietly. "You do, don't you?"

She nodded over to the kitchen. "How about we open that whiskey you got for my birthday and talk, then? It's a better way of spending the evening than going back to the TV."

Makoto smiled slightly after a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. That sounds good right about now."