Second Chapter
Five days have gone by since 15th May 2025, the day when Shinji and
Rei had received unexpected news that was all good , soon Rei
would be having a baby, or
better, twins. Shinji had not accostumed to the idea of
becoming father; however, the more he thought about it, the more the idea
sounded incredible to him. He couldn't find words, or thoughts, in
order to show his enormous happiness, Rei also felt the same feelings.
Just to think that ,inside of her own stomach, two lives were growing
made her tremble at the thought, but happy at the same time, very happy
to know that she was to conceive two living beings. the maternal conception,
which nobody had ever given her…but the past was the past, now all this
didn't matter at all. Shinji had filled her need of love in the best possible
way, and it had been reciprocal, now both of them were happy, and soon
they'd have felt gratified by the birth of their sons, the fruit of their
love.
*
"COUGH! .COUGH! WH..WHAT!!?!?!?!?!" Misato's yelling echoed across
Ritsuko's apartment, making almost the walls to tremble. Misato jumped
on her feet, surprised, while coughing tea, which had gone the wrong way
for the amazing news that Ritsuko had only just given her calmly.
Even Akane and Tomoyo, who were running after one another, yelling
and making a racket
all over the apartment, and had fallen silent all at once, stopped
scared by the sudden exclamation of Colonel Katsuragi.
"What's with you!? "asked doctor Akagi in a astonished tone of voice.
"But…but..are you serious!?!!??!?!?!" exclaimed Misato again, quickly wiping her mouth of all the tea still on her lips.
"Sure, I'm serious! What's strange with it?! "answered Ritsuko, keeping a calm and quiet tone, as if it were something absolutely logical.
Misato, still incredulous, knocked her hands against the low small table, and answered in an upset voice: " HOW CAN YOU ASK ME WHAT'S STRANGE?! REI'S EXPECTING A BABY! "
" Two twins! " kept on Ritsuko, trying to "forgive" her friend.
Misato goggled "How.. YOU SAY, you say ..two twins!?!? And…from who!?!?"
"From Shinji, of course!! They're married!" , continued Ritsuko, trying with her calm tone of voice, to appease the surprise of Colonel Katsuragi.
".Mommy! WilLLl you do for me a Ttwin? " , answered innocently Akane, who had listened the discussion while Tomoyo kept on laughing and grinning for Akane's freakish request.
"Oh my…but…how in the world?!!? Right Shinji!!!" kept on Misato, with a astonished face, while calming down and sat down slowly.
"But..what's with you, today?!? Why are you getting excited so much? I don't see what' s strange with it!" answered Ritsuko.
"But right Shinji!! With Rei!! They will have twin!?!?" Misato blushed, while uttering the last two words.
"Misato... why are you scandalized so much? What's wrong with Rei being pregnant! On the contrary, I have to say I'm really happy for those two." answered Ritsuko, while drawing up to herself the teapot, set upon the small table in front of them.
"But..they're so young!! They both are only 24!!" answered Misato, while calming down.
"Listen to who's talking! Be aware, I didn't forget when we were at
the university, you played Hooky and spent whole days in the bed with Kaji!
;;;;;", answered
Ritsuko, looking askance at Misato
Misato blushed wildly at the doctor's words.
"Umm..well…but…what has that got to do with it?!", blubbered the woman, very very embarassed, while putting her hand behind her neck.
The woman sighed, while looking stealthily at a very very embarassed Colonel Katsuragi, trying to camouflage her shame, laughing nervously.
Misato recovered herself finally, and returned to silence "Wait a moment, Ritchan! Didn't you always believe that Rei was sterile?" asked Misato, confused.
Ritsuko, very calmly, started again to sip her tea "We were wrong", answered, while moving the tea cup away from her lips.
" You were wrong?!?", exclaimed Misato, while drinking her tea cup which was starting to get cold. "How did it happen that you ignored this kind of thing!?" answered Misato, still surprised for Ritsuko's fault.
The woman became thoughtful, while her gaze became lost in the void. "Well, it was not a real error, exactly. After all, Gendo did not care if Rei was fertile or not, so we never did tests in confirmation of Rei's sterility...it was one of the many points completely insignificant to him. That girl should have lived only until she had finished being useful for him.", she answered, with her tone expressing her regret and sorrow about the horrific projects involving Rei, which she had taken part in the past.
Misato's expression darkened too, thinking again to their past, then she looked away from her friend, and tried not to express her regret to Ritsuko ."Those two have gone through some much to find happiness .....", answered Colonel Katsuragi, while looking at her daughter Akane playing happily with Tomoyo , sitting down on the floor, not so distant from them, totally oblivious to the situation.
Doctor Akagi nodded , then went on thinking again of her past, and of Misato's also, and of many other persons.
Misato put a hand over her thoughtful friend's shoulder ..that gesture dispersed her thoughts, she lifted her head and looked in the eye of the person who stood by her side, and was smiling sweetly.
"Give up...let's not think anymore of all those unpleasant things that happened in the past. It's all water under the bridge…now we all are happy. Forget those horrible adventures you had with a man who isn't worth being mentioned .Now you've got a husband and a daughter who love you, and that is the most important thing." said Misato, in a sweet and quiet tone of voice.
Ritsuko nodded and smiled " You're right. Thanks, Misato-chan.". So saying, she turned and looked at the picture framed, standing near the dresser. It portrayed her and Yukito at their weddings, then looked away from it, and came back talking with her friends. " And you, with Kaji? It has been a while since you talked to me about him!"
Misato leaned her elbows upon the table, interwined her fingers, and leaned her chin over them. "mmm…Kaji is often very busy with his work , these days, and is coming back home very late!" answered Misato, in a bored tone of voice.
"I see...well, the work of an investigating agent calls for a lot of dedication", answered the woman.
"Yeah, that's right! At least, every time he comes back home, he could pretend to like my curry-rice!!! Instead, every time he comes back home and had heard that I had prepared my specialty he always takes me out for dinner!!! ."answered Misato, with a annoyed and sad tone.
"Poor man, I think I know the reason for him doing this, exclaimed Ritsuko, who knew well the 'delicious' dishes Misato was used to preparing
"What are you insinuating?!!? ..that I'm hopeless at cooking!?!?" yelled an angry Misato.
"No, no.." Ritsuko stretched her arms forward, in order to avoid an ambush from Misato, who usually became furious when people insinuated that she was hopeless at cooking.
"Ggggggrrrrrrr!!!!!!! "
Some days after...
Shinji kissed Rei standing at their home's door, as she used to do, At the end of the kiss, Shinji looked in Rei's eyes, smiling.
"See you later, my love.", said Shinji, sweetly.
The young woman nodded and blushed slightly, while she caressed her stomach with a hand.
Shinji moved his eyes to her and stayed looking at it "They'll be two",
murmured in a sweet voice.
Rei bowed her head over her stomach, "Yes..."
"I could have never believed I'd have become father of twins.", said Shinji sincerely.
Rei shook her head "Me too.. I'd have never imagined."
"It'll be wonderful, we four together, Rei-chan." , went on the man,
coming back to look in the eyes his young bride.
"Shinji." murmured Rei, lifting her eyes to Shinji
The two lovers were in the point of heading nearer to kissing each other
again,
all at once, in order to waste that magic moment, Colonel Katsuragi
jumped at Shinji's shoulders, and made the poor man jump for his life,
while Rei drew back astonished.
"HEYYY!!!!!!!YOU LITTLE DEVIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!FINALLY WE SUCCEED IN TALKING
*GRIN*", yelled Colonel Katsuragi, literally jumping to the neck
of
the new Vice Commander Ikari, in a very malicious tone.
"WAaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!.Mi.Mi..Misat..ehm..Colonel Katsuragi!!!What are you doing!?!?
"Co.colonel Katsuragi." whispered Rei, terror in her voice. "Colonel Katsuragi?!?" , kept on Shinji , with a scared tone.
"GIVE UPPPPPPPPP!! You know very well what I want to say!?!? Don't you, Reichan!?!?", asked Misato, turning to Rei
Rei was surprised by this Misato's words, and , with some astonishment, answered "Me?"
Misato laughed, released Shinji from her grip, and then drew nearer to Rei
"…then Rei-chan , you're expecting little babies, aren't you???" , whispered Misato, while raising an eyebrow, in a sinister way, and laughing .
Rei's cheeks blushed , she smiled and then nodded, while Shinji , at Misato's shoulders, started sweating cold, while her face became purple more than a mature tomato's pulp.
Misato smiled at Rei sweetly, took her hands, and started stirring them with hers own. "Congratulations then, Reichan!! I'm really very happy for you two!! I'm looking forward for your babies' birth !! And I hope for you that they won't be like Akane, because you'll end up to the mental hospital, otherwise !!",exclaimed ironically Misato, in a happy and lighthearted tone.
"BUT WHAT DO YOU SAY!!! " , said Akane , snapped while frowning her eyebrows and folding her arms..
"Th..thanks, Missis Misato." answered Rei, with an enormous. sweatdrop over her forehead.
Misato smiled again like an angel, then resumed her menacing glare, and turned to Shinji
"Eheh….as regards us, Shin-chan.", whispered, while Shinji kept on being in a cold sweat, and drew back slowly.
Misato approached Shinji, running to him "Then, my dear future Daddy.. soon you'll have two twins.. eeeeh???" Misato answered, taking up a really scaring tone again.
Shinji's sweat was over and over copious over his forehead…there were sweatdrops "Yes…yes...It's..it's..this..this way..really..." *good Lord! when Misato behaves this way, remembers me of Asuka!!* thought the boy, while remembering all the 'gentle' sentences which Asuka used to tell him, when they both were under Misato's guardianship.
"Hiiiiiiiiiiii!!!! It looked so impossible to me ..I couldn't believe my shy Shin-chan is in the point of becoming father!", exclaimed Misato, arm in arm with the young man, while ruffling his hair with her other hand.
" Well done, Shin-chan!! You're not at all that of a shy boy!!! I could have never bet you'd have become a father, because of your shyness!!" kept on the woman, while Akane went on jumping around her, begging : "IN Your ARRms !! In Your ARRms!! Mummy!! Take me in your armssss!!"
Shinji blushed shily , while trying to camouflage his flush, and the
same Rei, who smiled , looking at Misato playing tricks over Shinji,
this way.
Finally Misato took her arm away from the young boy's neck, and indulged
Akane, taking her daughter in her own arms.
*Maybe I should thank Akane-chan ...* thought Shinji, while trying with a hand to arrange his hair, which Misato had ruffled completely
Misato stopped to speak ironically over the situation, and smiling sweetly kept on talking " Anyway, be happy, guys! " exclaimed Misato, while Akane put her hand over her mother's shoulders.
Shinji and Rei looked at Misato surprised…after all the irony of before, they didn't expect to look at Misato talking seriously all at once.Their expressions sweetened , finally "Misato.", whispered Shinji
Misato smiled once again "Now I got to go to the Base! And you' d better go too, Shinchan ! If you don't know, it's 8:10, and I guess you lost the bus! ", went on Misato
Shinji tore his head out "Oh my god! The car's still being fixed! "
"After the last time. When Kensuke crashed into you from behind" Rei answered, thinking again about Kensuke's odd adventures, when he tried to drive a car the first time.
"Yeah ..."
"Come on ,now! I'll give you a lift, if you want, we're going to the same place!" answered Misato
"Yes!! But the small seat is mine!!" answered Akane
"Ok! " answered Shinji, sighing "Then see you later, My beloved! " answered Shinji, saying goodbye to Rei.
" See you later…!" answered Rei, while closing the door behind her
, still smiling at Misato's words
The young woman leaned her back against the door she had closed, and
looked towards the ceiling, with a smile on her face. *People are surprised
that Shinji and I will going to have twins soon...after all, I was surprised
too .I'd have never expected it ….now I'm scared, really.. what are
little children like? I have never lived a real childhood.. I remember
only this one thing of my childhood....*The young woman's expression darkened,
for recalling a chunk of the season one could have considered her infancy...even
if she had lived it in an another body
*FLASHBACK*
"It's not fair to call a person an "old hag"! When Commander Ikari will come back, I'll make him scold you!" , exclaimed Dr. Naoko Akagi, while trying to keep a calm demeanour in front of those offences, pronounced by a six year child, standing before her at that very moment.
"It was Commander Ikari calling you so… That old hag…that useless hag, that old hag is only a burden… That useless hag.., that old hag is only a burden...'
SHUT UP!!!SHUT UP!!! SHUT UP!!SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!." The woman yelled, while gripping the child's neck with force, until the little
Rei breathed her last. After that, she left her fall on the floor, spasmodically.
"Rei...you're the real useless hag.. even if you die, you're expendable"
*END OF FLASHBACK*
On the young woman's face, a tear slid slowly, her bang covering her eyes .
... after all....it was the only Moment of her infancy...and it had not been that good, of course..
"Meaaaaaooww...", mewed Hoshi, the white cat Shinji had presented to Rei for her birthday, some month ago. She rubbed herself against Rei's ankles, making her forget of the train of bad thoughts wrapping her in that moment.
The little cat succeeded in her purpose of diverting the young woman
. . infact she bent down to the cat.. "Hoshi-chan, what's up? " asked Rei,
caressing her back
with his left.
"Prrrrrr.*strush*.meaaaaaawwwww..." the little cat let her be caressed with pleasure by Rei, while starting to purr.. Sometime after, the cat went away slightly, keeping on mewing , then she turned to Rei, as if she was inviting Rei to follow her.
Rei undrestood it and followed her slowly." Where are you bringing me, Hoshi?.", Rei answered made curious by the strange behaviour of the cat.. Hoshi took Rei to the upper floor, through the inner stair which Shinji, Kensuke and Toji had built some month before their wedding.At the upper floor, they had also set Hoshi's bed. In fact the cat was coming into the living room where she had her bed, always keeping on inviting Rei to follow herself.
The cat drew nearer slowly, and when she arrived in front of the bed, she stopped for a moment, and turned by the other side, looked at Rei and meowed one more time.
Rei drew nearer and saw a little paw of cat , popping out of the bed, and a slight mewing coming from inside of it.
"But what.." the girl looked inside of the basket. It couldn't be Faye, their Maremma sheepdog, which oddly lived in perfect harmony with Hoshi… He was too big , he get into Hoshi' s basket, so she leaned more to it, and finally could look at its content. Three tiny kittens. A black one, a white one, and a white one with black spots, all sleeping inside of it.
"Meow! ", meowed Hoshi, while she came into the basket and kept on licking the little cats inside of it.
Rei took one of them in her hand, it was so little that it fit
perfectly with her hand
"But these are kittens.", said while skimming with the other
hand the face of the little cat she had taken. Then she looked
at Hoshi "Are these your babies, Hoshi?" asked Rei confused, as if
Hoshi could understand her words.
"Meow.", mewed the cat, looking at Rei, as if she had really understood what the girl had only just told her.
Rei smiled and looked again the little cat in her hand , it was sleeping,
its little eyes still closed, so little.
Sometimes it moved her mouth in order to mew slightly, then it closed
it again.
"Meeeowww.", recalled Hoshi, lifting her paw towards Rei , as if she was trying to make Rei understand that she wanted her kitten back..
Rei placed the little kitten inside of the bed together with the other two kittens which were sleeping, and the mother came into the bed , trying with her little paws not to tread on the two other kittens, and perched in the middle, keeping on licking them slowly.
Rei sat down on the floor, Indian style, and stayed there to stare at the scene, smiling.
*Who knows if my babies will be as little as they are.* , thought the girl while she also was caressing an other asleep cat with her right hand.
*Who knows if Hoshi was already ready to become a mother… after all,
she is only a cat,
she had not minded so much of it, for sure. She didn't have a happy
infancy either, because when Shinji brought her, he told me that he found
her, abandoned inside of a little canvas bag next to a dustbin.
But she now was giving an happy infancy to her kittens. She has not
allowed the anguish overcome her, she was not scared by not knowing
how to make her kittens grow. She did it, that's all.. As I should
do it too.... It is no that difficult: giving them love it's enough . Until
some years ago, I didn't know the meaning of this word, but since Shinji
came into my life, I needn't any explanation….I've understood it
all alone. As Hoshi's doing in this moment. .Hoshi is protective of her
kittens. Even if she knows who I am by now, she didn't let me keep her
kitten in my hands so long. Why? Is this the behaviour a mother should
have?."
Rei lifted up on her feet, when she listened at a mewing coming
from the windowsill of the room, which stretched out beside of one
of the many cherry-trees which were all around the home, and saw
a little cat all in black, sat down elegantly, with a proud and resolute
glare, on the windowsill "Meowww" , meowed, still swinging slowly
the tail.
Rei looked at the cat a little surprised. I had never seen him
before now. Then she looked at Hoshi , who as soon as she saw the cat,
moved away from the kittens, and with a leap, jumped
over the windowsill , where the cat stood, and she became to rub herself
against him.
Then Rei understood that, probably, that black cat was Hoshi's fiancee, and the father of the three kittens which, the same night, Hoshi had given birth to.
The girl smiled looking at the scene *How pretty they are...and so Hoshi
also settled down?. She found happiness together with that cat, and had
three kittens. I found happiness with my Shinji too...and soon we'll
have two little ones. By now, I think I could get off with my role
of mother, but , just like Hoshi, only if there'll be Shinji besides me.
My first and only love.*
In the meanwhile.
Shinji was still in the car together with Misato and Akane.
Shinji was sat down on the passenger's seat, next to Misato who,
as a rule, was the one driving. . There was silence into the car ,and the
Nerv was still distant.
Strangely, neither the shrill and cheeky voice of Akane
were audible, this one thing surprised her mother too. So, while she was
driving her car, turned her gaze to the rear-view mirror, reflecting the
back seat, and she saw her little Akane, who had fallen asleep
over her car child's chair. Misato smiled.
"What a miracle! She felt asleep!" , exclaimed Misato quietly,
trying not to raise her voice tone more than
normal, in order to avoid a similar miracle could be violated.
Shinji was caught unaware "And? What..?", then he thought again
about last Misato's sentence, and understood the sense of it, then
turned and looked at Akane-chan sleeping .Shinji
remained fixed to her , and then he also smiled, being moved
by the little pest's figure which in that moment looked like a little
Angel. In the good sense of the term, of course.
Misato smiled again, while not looking away from the road.
"When Akane-chan 's asleep it's hard to believe she's such a pest being
awaken, don't you think, Shin-chan?", Misato asked Shinji,
while keeping on casting glances to the rear-view mirror.
Shinji nodded, while coming back to sit down on his seat sedately "Yes, it's true. But she's a happy and thoughtless child after all. It's normal she is so lively when she's awake.", answered Shinji.
"mmm! Not bad! Are you inquiring about the subject 'children', aren't you, Shinchan? ", answered Misato ironically.
At these words from Colonel Katsuragi, his former-guardian, the
24 years old boy smiled, trying not to become sad, then he shook
his head:
"No. This very thing isn't so. I know very very few things about it",
he said, almost reproaching himself.
Misato was keeping on looking at the road… this behave of his had not changed at all, she tought. And after all, neither the same Shinji had changed. Even if the boy was happy now, had everything he could have desired, his insecurity in facing a new situation had not changed at all. And Misato, who could really affirm she had brought Shinji up by herself, was aware of it.
"Are you scared to become father, aren't you, Shin-chan?" asked the woman in a sweet but deep and resolute tone of voice.
The boy bent his head as he was used to do, when a problem harassed him. "What's more..I'm scared I'm not up to it…I'm afraid I couldn't be a good father for my children....and I could disappoint Rei, this way.", answered Shinji.
Misato kept on looking at the road, but one could have argued from her glance, that she was paying attention to Shinji , and that the discussion she was having with him , was important for her "Shin-chan, you shouldn't reproach yourself this way . It's normal that you be scared in this situation, it's so foreign to you. That's an emotion you've never felt before", Misato said with her sweet as ever tone of voice.
Shinji looked straight into Misato's eyes, listening carefully to her words in silence.
" Look at me for example. When I knew I was expecting Akane, my mind
was filled of a lot of thoughts and sensations, but at the same time, of
a lot of fears. Yes, of course, I was happy to the idea of becoming mother,
of having a daughter all for me and of finally living of what could
have been called Happiness together with her and Kaji, the
man I love. But my biggest fear was that I could have never been
able to become a good mother for Akane. About Kaji' s part, I had
no doubt he knows how to do with children! But I was scared not to be able
to give her love, affection, and all the rest…and believe me, it was not
that simple convincing myself to be a good mother…I kept all
inside of myself!
I didn't want anybody knew about this weakness of
mine! I bought everyday dozens of books about motherhood, and child
education, and I tried even to learn whole chapters of them, in order
to be able of behave properly when my daughter will have born. But then
, when
Akane was born, it was like all of those lines had been erased from
my mind, thrown out like rubbish Something inside of me told me: 'It's
no use you follow all the instructions of those books, you
already know everything! You know how to act!' And it was the truth!
It was as if I already knew how to behave with Akane, since the first
time I saw it ! All at once, all my fears faded away, and were replaced
from the strong believing that the one I had in front of me was my daughter,
whom I will have been able to give all that a mother could give to a daughter."
Shinji stayed astonished, listening at Misato speaking so sincerely
about her private life. He had always seen Misato as a strong and
brave woman, without any doubt or fear, as when she decided to take charge
of him, ten years ago, so resolutely, without thinking again of it more
times. He had always seen in her the motherly figure which had been taken
away from him, when he was still in his most tender age. Then, when
Akane was born, who better than her could have taken care of a daughter
? She could look at herself almost like at an expert of the matter , even
before Akane's birth , because she had been the one who gave Shinji
maternal affection when he also was little more than a child.
He could have never imagined that Misato also could have
some doubts and insecurities . The thing had left him very perplexed.
"Are you really, Misato?..", asked Shinji, inconsciously.
Misato nodded smiling "Sure, Shinji. It has been the same for me. What
you're feeling in this moment, I already felt it too. I understand you
perfectly, sweety.", answered Misato, while coming back to look at the
back-view mirror, showing her sleeping little child.
Shinji couldn't help being surprised by Misato's words . And
to think that he had been many times together with Misato and
Kaji, during the period of pregnancy, but Misato didn't look worried at
all, on the contrary , she was vivacious and happy as ever ! She didn't
look being scared of the situation. She was rather good at hiding her fears
and weaknesses, in front of the other persons, during the period of pregnancy.
"I bet Rei also doesn't look worried to your eyes that much for the situation, on the contrary she faces the thing with a smile, isn't this so, Shin-chan?"
Shinji nodded promptly, and smiled thinking of her young wife."Rei is really an exceptional girl.I whis I had at least half of her courage. After all, she is the one who holds our children in her womb. Then the situation should be more complex for her than for any other person, in this moment.. She's instead facing the situation holding her head high, proud and resolute"
"No, Shinchan."Misato interrupted firmly Shinji's talking.
Shinji turned surprised to look at Misato's face, in order to understand the reason why she had denied Shinji's affirmation.
"It's not like it seems,, Shinji.Rei's not facing the situation proudly resolute as she is letting you think .", the woman kept on, steering left.
"What do you mean, Colonel Katsuragi?", Shinji answered, confused by Misato's words.
"Rei is in your same situation, Shinchan. On the contrary....Rei is
for sure much more scared and feared than you.", answered Misato quickly,
as if she already knew what she had to answer to.
Shinji's face was amidst confusion and surprise. What did Colonel Katsuragi want to say with this affirmation of hers ? Was it possible that Rei was really scared of the situation too, and she was trying to hide all inside her behind very sweet thoughts and emotions , which she used to express, when she talked about that subject .?
Misato shook her head , smiling to herself "Oh Shin-chan. How
similar we two are.", murmured the
woman again.
"In which sense?" , answered the boy, still far from understanding
Misato's affirmations'sense.
"When I was attacked from this fears too, during the pregnancy, I used very often to have a confrontation with Kaji , the day I told him I was pregnant , and soon we'll have had a child, he run into a shop of childcare-items, and spent more than 20000 yen, buying things such an high chair, a cradle , a pram, toys, clothes for children, and all the rest. To my eyes, that man was the ideal father. He never lost the occasion to tell me that I had made him the happiest man in the world. I admired him a lot . I admired his proud and resolute disposition, all the contrary of mine in that moment. But he didn't know of my fears, neither I knew of his."
"Does it mean Kaji was also really scared , but he did everything in order not to make you become aware of it?" The boy asked, keeping on understanding the meaning of Misato's biographical account , and also started to understand what Misato was referring to "Then.. maybe Rei also is trying to hide her fears in front of me ?" Shinji kept on again.
Misato nodded "I'm sure of it, Shin-chan. It's this way.Rei' s behaving exactly like you. And the reason is the same: she doesn't want to disappoint you! She's scared like you are, and that if she made you be aware of her fears, you'd be disappointed by it , and you'd think that she's not able to cover the role of mother which will be up to her."
" But Rei knows that she could never disappoint me!!", exclaimed
the boy ,
confused by Misato's ideas.
"I know, but Rei doesn't want to run that risk! She loves you too much.", answered Misato, going on with their reassuring and sweet tone.
"Eh?" Shinji felt more and more confused, he had never thought about a version of the facts like this one.
"Exactly, Shin-chan. She trusts in you so much , and wants you too keep
on trusting her.
She's aware you're so happy she got pregnant, so bringing it
to an end has become a goal to reach, and only when your children'll have
been born, when your pregnancy period will have come to an end, and
you two will become a father and a mother, she will believe she 'll have
crossed the goal-line. All this, giving you happiness, is so important
for her. Shin-chan,she's not even aware of it, probably, but
she's doing everything in order to make you happy. Nevertheless,
she feels frightened, thinking of going through this route, just like you
feels, like I felt and Kaji felt, and just like it frightened all those
have had children. .And it's right it's all this way. It shows you and
Rei wish the better for your children."
Shinji listened carefully at the things Misato had told him. The woman's words kept on echoing in his mind, over and over, he was reflecting about each of them, trying to discover their true meaning. The realities were reflected perfectly by Misato's words. Her reasoning was flawless, it was the perfect answer to the questions he had been wondering about for many days long.
Without Shinji being aware of it, time had passed, so quick that they had arrived at Nerv's parking right then; he realized it when Misato braked suddenly, then she parked the car in her strange way: it all took his attention off of Misato's last words, and made him come back to Earth.
"Aaaaaaaahh!!" exclaimed the young man, caught unaware by her former-guardian's terrible way of parking.
Finally Misato looked away from the road , and looked at Shinji
astonished.
"What's wrong, Shin-chan!?! Don't tell me you've already given up the
habit of appreciating my driving style, haven't you!?" said Misato, smiling.
Shinji, still agitated, breathed a sigh of relief "Yes. I guess I'm no more accustomed to it." Then he thought to Akane, and turned suddenly, imagining the poor child had awaken because of the rough manouvre; instead she was living in dreamers country, heavenly, she had only restricted herself to turning her tiny face by the other side . Shinji stood amazed at looking at the child still sleeping.
Misato didn't mind of it, as it seemed, opened the car's door, taking off the safety-belt, which Shinji did by his turn "Here we are at work, again!" exclaimed Misato in a resigned air, it was same all daily- routine, she had always taken philosophically.
Misato and Shinji went off the car, then the woman drew near to the
car's door, she opened it, and seated on the back seat,
staying sideways and leaving her legs out of the car's . Then she stretched
her arms towards her daughter Akane,
and slowly started to undo the belts which were keeping her little
on still on the little seat, finally, making an effort in doing it silently
in order not to wake up her, she took her in her arms, making her
to lean her hand over her shoulder, while closing with a kick the
back door of the car.
"Fiuuuuu…she has not waken up luckily!", said Misato, noticing Akane's slight movements during the sleep, while the child grabbed her mother's neck.
"If she' d have woken up, she'd have started again to play up; she has slept a little this night."said Misato, leaning the other hand over Akane' back, then she yawned "ME Toooooo*Yaaaawnnnnn* ..."
Shinji laughed "Why do you take her at work, Colonel Katsuragi?", answered Shinji, noticing how fatiguing was for Misato face up Akane at work too. "
"Parents who work in the morning usually send their sons to the kindergarden, until they reach the age for going to school", went on the young man.
Misato smiled, keeping on walking with Shinji over the conveyoer belt inside the Geo Front
"I tried to send her to the kindergarden some time ago, but she cried desperately, once I crossed the threshol. And I didn't like looking at her smiling this way. I suffered more than her.", Misato answered, in a sweet tone.
"I see, it has to be a torture, look at one's own sons crying, isn't it, Colonel Katsuragi?" Shinji answered *Well..my father, as far as I know, doesn't feel this way..*thought the young man , sadly, while remembering again the moment when his father forseek him at the station, when he was at the age of four.
Misato nodded "If there's something I don't suffer at all is to see
her crying .Then I decided to bring her at work everyday. After all, she
doesn't make troubles, I always succeed in keeping her busy with someon
or something..", went on the woman, while making her ID card pass through
the slit . Shinji did the same. They had arrived at Central Dogma..
Shinji though again over Misato's words. She had become really a good
mother, she loved her daughter very much, even if she still were the same
Misato as ever , lazy and bungler, and always very attached to beer, nevertheless
she had become a really responsible mother . As it seemed,
nobody had teach her how to do it .She hadn't attended at any course
on education, in order to become a mother, and, as regards
all those notions she had been learning from many books about motherhood
, they had turned out useless after all , as she herself had
said. Therefore, in order to become parents, no particular education
was needed. Most of it was based on instinct.
When the conveyer belt, going through the mazes of Geo Front, finally arrived at their destination, Shinji and Misato parted ways from necessity, because their jobs were placed in opposite directions.
"Now I've got to go that way, Shin-chan. See you then, Honey"
Misato said, standing still for a while, before setting out for one
of the labyrinth-like corridors across the area of Central Dogma.
"Well. Good work, Colonel Katsuragi! See you then...and.. thanks for all..", answered Shinji shyly, trying to keep a formal tone, while talking to her former guardian. It was difficult to speak so formally to the person who had brought him up many years long . By now, he was no more a fourteen year old boy. Now he also was an adult, who will have become a father soon.
Misato smiled "Give it up. How long must we go on this way?
Stop all this formality, Shin-chan! You're treating me as if I was
an extraneous person!", said Misato in a joking tone, pretending to be
annoyed by Shinji's formality.
The young man blushed, ashamed "So..sorry.", he whispered in a very
low voice, while lowering his eyes.
Misato knew Shinji too well , by now. Even if ten years had gone by, since she decided to take charge of him, in order to pull him away from loliness' arms, still he didn't look any different to her. He had remained her little and shy boy.. She was aware of the reason why the young man persisted in not being of first-name terms, talking with her. By now she could intuit his thoughts perfectly.
Misato smiled at the embarassed Shinji, who took heart seeing the Colonel's
smile, and returned with his own. After it, both of them turned at
the same time, heading towards opposite directions.
*You're good as you are, Shin-chan. There's nothing you have to change in yourself, so that you could become a good father.* Misato thought to herself, while walking long the corridor that should have leaded her to the lift, very soon.
*Misato had been scared, Kaji had been scared. But anyone overcame this
moment. Why must I feel so unprepared , even after having heard of
their experience? I'm so scared." Shinji's thoughts weren't giving him
a moment's respite..He was still scared, in spite of Misato's words.
He was frightened, and was keeping on believing that no testimony in
the world could have calmed his worried soul. It all was only about
him and Rei...all the rest was outer, too outer, in a similar predicament....
The sliding door of the lift in the west wing of Nerv opened
slowly when the elevator stopped at the tenth floor. When they were fully
opened, the young man inhaled deeply, showing clearly the angst which was
enveloping him, little by little...So he made a step forward, almost mechanically,
and went out of the lift, whose doors closed immediately, once he was outside
of it. The young man looked all around the corridor...there was no one
....anyone was busy with their daily jobs, rather than wandering
around the corridors of Nerv...maybe it would be better for him doing the
same..
His Job could have been a good diversion, taking his attention off
the thought which was becoming a kind of obsession for him. So he made
his way towards the main area of the Base. Nevertheless, once he went around
the corner, he didn't notice a little 'obstacle' who was to meet
him in his way, so the brand new vice-commander of Nerv, without
having either time to understand what was happening, stumbled and found
himself staggering forward and backward, before prima di ruzzolare
in avanti tumbling forward, with a big slam which echoed along the whole
corridor
"Ouch...ouch...." Shinji whispered, while trying to sit down on the floor, with a hand over his head "What a bang,,.what....", the young had not even the time to wonder what he had bumped into, since he heard a shocked crying, coming from a child behind his shoulders.
*But..what's up!?.*the young man thought, suddenly turning to
stare at the place where the crying was coming from. . He was struck from
by he saw. Behind his shoulders, there was a child, crouched on the
floor; at a first glance, one could have argued that he was not yet
a year old:
he was crying desperate, holding tightly his little hurting hand, which
was the cause of his weeping. Then Shinji understood everything,
understood that his child was nothing but the 'obstacle' which he had stumbled
over. Maybe Shinji had trodden over the child's hand , unintentionally,
while falling down.
"Waaaaaaaahaaaaaa!!", the child was still moaning, tears going by from his childish face, more and more.
"Fu.Fuu-Tien." Shinji whispered , still incredulous for what had happened.
The child, turned to Shinji's call, having recognized his own name; but it wasn't enough to stop him crying . On the contrary it was increasing beyond any limit, while showing his hurt hand.
Shinji kept on feeling very guilty "Oh my, look at what I did this time!!" Shinji exclaimed, while getting up again on his feet, quickly; then he headed nearer to the boy, taking him in his own arms.
"Oh Fuu-chan. I'm so sorry.. .I wouldn't ! Sorry!!" the young man said,
while wiping away tears of Fuu-chan's face , with a napkin which
he quickly took out of his jacket..
The child, obviously , was too little to understand Shinji's
words; and even if he had grasped their meaning, they wouldn't have been
that useful to calm the pain of his hand. The more Shinji looked at that
child weeping, the more he (sentiva) his heart heavy with feeling of guilt.
By then he was grasping what Misato wanted to say, when she said she couldn't
suffer the sight of Akane crying, most of all, when she knew she was the
reason of her weeping
He didn't know how to behave. "As I thought, I'm not a good model of
father.", whispered Shinji in a low voice, almost being ironic over himself.
The young man looked around him, looking for someone who could have helped
him; he had never been in such a situation, it was not the best he could
think of. He wished he could cut it off .But there was no one walking along
the corridor, and little Fuu-Tien didn't look like calming down at
all; on the contrary, he was screaming over and over.
"Well..calm down!." Shinji begged the child, while trying to rocking
him to make him stop crying. If someone had passed by there… how embarassing!!
A future father who can't even make such a little child stop weeping .
In that moment , Shinji was awfully embarassed. He was ashamed for ignoring
such an elementary thing.
If he hadn't been able to calm down one single child, how could
he have managed to reassure his own children, who will even
have been two?
Shinji was caught by deep rage, he was almost hating himself.
Just before, because of his absent-mindedness, he had made a child being
hurt. A poor child who, probably, had got lost inside of the
huge Nerv Base..And then , he couldn't even reassure him! He was
ashamed of himself, that moment. Nevertheless, he understood the situation
couldn't have gone on that way. He ought change it !He was no more
a little boy! By now, he was almost twenty five. He was adult enough, to
be able to face up to difficulties ! So, he took the child hand with
his, all at once, and gave a quick look at it, becoming aware that,
luckily, it didn't look like it was broken; it was only a little reddened.
But it had to be unbearable for such a little child, as Fuu-tien.
The young man smiled at the child, looking at him with those eyes filled
with tears; then he leaned him over his own shoulder, and kept on caressing
his back. "Shhh. Don't cry anymore.. we shall go to the bathroom, right
now, and then we'll wash your tiny hand. You'll see, the pain will be over.",
Shinji whispered to the child, carrying him to the nearest bathroom.
"Hey!! Misato!! Take look at this!!" , doctor Akagi exclaimed, astonished, while getting up in front of a gossip-magazine, which looked like bringing some very interesting news.
"mmmm..", Misato groaned, dozing, with her arms folded over the writing-desk, her head leaned over them
"Misato ?!.what are you doing !? Are you sleeping!?", Ritsuko said, amused, while shaking with her arm Misato's shoulder, without taking her eyes off the magazine.
Misato lifted her head up from the table, yawning slowly "Yaaaaaawnnn.. What's happened, Ritsuko!? "
"Hey! You know, if Commander Ikari passed by here, and found you shirking at work, he wouldn't let you get away with it, for sure!" , Ritsuko answered ironically.
"mmm.. you're right , but I'm ready to drop. Last Akane didn't let me sleep a wink.", Misato kept on by her turn, while making an effort to keep her eyes opened.
"Something like: 'Mommy, would you tell me a story?' ", Ritsuko answered, being aware of Akane's typical whims .
Misato shook her head "Nope.Something like: 'Mommy, I've got a stomachache.' The next time I will see Kaji giving so much watermelon to Akane I swear I'll make him pay for it! I spent a sleepless night because of that!! "
" Ritsuko burst out laughing "Actually, you're really going too far with all that watermelon these days! "
"Yup....Well... What are the bomb-news!? " Misato said, rubbing her eyes, while yawning once again.
"Look at who's on the first page today!!",Ritsuko said, handing the magazine to Misato.
Misato looked at it , absentmindedly, casting a glance to the photographies which were impressed over the paper "Look at it! Here is Asuka! What's with it!?It's not the first time she appears on a magazine! She is so popular!", the Colonel answered, handing the magazine to the friend, again.
"Yes, but this time she has not appeared on the newspapers, in order to show off some other fashionable dress.", Ritsuko answered, without taking the magazine back from Misato's hand.
"What do you want to say!?", answered Colonel Katsuragi, surprised.
"Read the first lines!", Ritsuko answered.
Misato brang again in front of herself the page of the magazine, which showed Asuka's photographs, and took a closer look, to read the captions near to the pictures, in a loud voice. "Well....Asuka Soryuu Langley, 24 years, who has just made a name of herself in the high fashion world-wide , finally, after having broken million and million boys' hearts, has succedeed to find the man of her life!.He's a young conjurer half briish half-japanese, Eriol Hiiragisawa, 22 years hold; she knew him during her last trip to United Kingdom, for her last photographic service. The news was a big scoop, all around Europe and Asia, particularry in Germany and Japan!
Because of the nationality of the top-model,half German and half Japanese.." Misato stopped for a moment, and then looked at Ritsuko
"Well, looked at it...Asuka found an other decrepit man, ready to run
after her...If I think again how she made that poor guy Isamu suffer..(*).And,
in my opinion, the
same will happen with the little magician, here.. Eriol Hiragisawa."
Misato said, not at all surprised by the news, as if something like this
had become
an object in everyday use.
"Eh no!." Ritsuko answered "This time Asuka says she is serious..Read the second caption!"
Misato turned the page slowly "Yes. Yes.The last time she said this way, we saw poor desperate Isamu in tears for days and days. Asuka likes to break the frail and naive boys' heart. I can remember when she even tried with Shinji."
"..Don't you remember when she tried with Kaji!? ", Ritsuko teased her, being aware that subject flied Misato into a rage
" NO!! I don't remember of that, really!! And I won't you remember me of it, understood!? ", Misato yelled, lifting up all at once from the writing desk, and beating her hands against it for rage
"How touchy you are..." I was only joking." Ritsuko answered, while gesturing to Misato to calmd down
Misato came back to sit down, and started again to read the magazine. "The news made even the biggest Fashion-House stay astonished; how is it possible that Asuka preferred a simple conjurer, and even younger than her of two years, rather than numbers of admirers who tried to catch her, being much more famous than the English magician?! The stubborn model answered to the question this way: ' Eriol and me have been chosen by destiny! He's worth of me, and I'm worth of him! Is he younger than me!? Are you stupid!? Wouldn't you admit I knew a lot of people in my brilliant life! And I can ensure you that Eriol is the first boy I know who shows me to be a real man!! Incredible that he has Japanese origins !! Japanese boys are totally stupid, without any morals!! I can say it for sure, because of my past experiences!"
" Asuka is resolute, isn't she!?" ,Ritsuko asked, turning to Misato
Misato nodded, without looking away from the magazine, which looked
really interesting
"You can say it for sur..WHATTTT!?!!?", Misato yelled literally,
while goggling, making Ritsuko jump to her feet, for fear , and letting
the paper cup fall down of her hands; it contained the coffee which Ritusko
ha already taken by the automatic machine. Misato made Akane to wake
up with a start: the child was still sleeping over the velvet chair.
"What's the hell! " Ritsuko said, still scared by Misato's scene.
" Ri..Ri..Ritsu..Ritsuko!!! Look at this photo!!! " Misato yelled, still handing the newspaper to Ritsuko
"What!? What!? ", Doctor Akagi took the magazine from Misato's hands, and looked at the photograph which Misato pointed at.
"Read here!!", Misato said, showing the captions.
Ritsuko kept on reading in a low voice "Latest news about the relationship
between the model and the conjurer: the photograph you can see on the right,
was the last where our repoter succeded in immortalizing Asuka
and Eriol, some month after the beginning of their relationship.
Four month after, to be exact. The german model looks like being
serious involved with Eriol. Don't you also think that she is too
'pot-bellied' in this picture? Models usually pay a big attention to their
own figure. But now...if she has not put on weight, maybe he's a baby!?And,
as chance would have it, there's always him next to her! He's the man who
is being envied terribly by half-world in this moment: Eriol Hiiragisawa!"
Akane rubbed her eyes with a drowsy air, laying on her stomach over the chair , and she turned by the other side, keeping on sleeping, covering herself better with the jacket which her mother had used as a blanket for her daughter. She was too sleepy to start playing
"ABSURD!!;", Ritsuko exclaimed, she too shocked for the text on the magazine, lifting up as Misato had done
"ASUKA IS PREGNANT!?!?" Misato went on, not succeding in calming her tone of voice.
"But..maybe..maybe it's only gossip..!!.And still the picture doesn't look a photomontage at all.. and there is the tummy!! "
Colonel Katsuragi looked at Ritsuko in her face, they both were astonished
"Yeah...There's the tummy... So Asuka is pregnant, really..."
Misato catched quickly the cordless which was next to her , and at once typed a number "Only so we'll have an answer! We'll make her give a direct answer to us!"
Ritsuko nodded "Right!! "
".I'm pregnant of my Pokemon Ball! ", Akane said, turning to the external side of the chair, while showing the Poke-Ball-like key holder which she kept linked to the belt of her little dress.
In the meanwhile…
Shinji held the little Fuu Tien in front of the sink, grabbing the child by his waist, having leaned him upon the border of the sink itself, while rinsing Fuu-Tien's hand with cold water. By now Fuu-Tien had stopped crying, finally, even if he still sobbed a little
"*Sob*...waaah... *Sob*.*Sniff*...."
"Does it still hurt a lot , Fuu-chan? "the young man answered, while caressing the child's wrist..
The child turned his own face to Shinji, and looked at him in his eyes, keeping on sobbing
Shinji closed the water tap, took again the little Fuu-Tien in
his arms, then he looked at his hand.The blush looked to have passed by
completely; now the child's hand was fresh, maybe still a little stiff,
because of the fraleness of his body. But perhaps the pain had passed .
Shinji put the child over his right arm, and looked at him in his face,
before leaving the bathroom. The child stayed looking at Shinji in her
face, and the image of the child was reflected on the man's face.
"Oh, Fuu-chan. Believe me, I'm so sorry for what happened . I hope you'll be able to forgive me " Shinji said caressing with his left Fuu-Tien' face, still wet with tears. .The child listened at Shinji carefully. He looked almost like he could grasp the meaning of what Shinji was telling him , which was impossible for a child of a few months as he was.
Shinji leaned his back against the wall, while caressing the face of the child.
His eyes…oh my..he was so similar to his mother.
He was identical to her. Who knows whom his children would have been
like to? "I'm not a good father..aren't it, Fuu Tien?." Shinji
said,
unconscious, while making an effort to smile, while touching
a subject so painfull for him.
Fuu Tien kept on gazing at Shinji carefully, with a dumbfounded air. Shinji was keeping on smiling faintly. "What do you think, Fuu-chan?."
"Ga?...", whined the child, bringing his little hands to the face of Shinji.Tiny hand which were soon wetted by the young man's tears, who, without being aware of it, kept on give vent to his own fears, which had gathered in the young man's heart, during that period.
The child touched curiously Shinji's hands. Shinji became aware of the child, only when he brought his own hands over the man's eyes, as if he were drying his tears.
"nn...noo.", the child moaned in a sad tone, as in order to incite Shinji not to cry.
The young man opened the eyes again, surprised by the action of the
child. Shinji
smiled, tenderly this time, and started again to caress the child's
face. "Thank you, Fuu-Chan.You're so dear."
Fuu-Tien's look became joyful , seeing the new Vice-Commander
of Nerv smile again; then he leaned over the young man's chest, pressing
close to it.
Shinji closed his eyes. It was a pleasant sensation, to have a child crouched to his chest. He smiled and put his hand over the child's back, caressing it. In that very moment, he felt all the fears in his mind, which had been hammering him day by day, fade away quickly..it was as if his heart had started to feel them foreign, and begun to turn them away.
"Little Fuu-Tien. I don't know why, but it seems to me like you have understood everything about me. ..I know, it's impossible, but you're the one who gave me trust in myself..the one I had almost lost at all..and still you're only a child of few months. Who could have said it?."
Fuu Tien rubbed his eyes, yawned, then he slowly fell asleep over the young man's chest, with his little clenched fists, and a smile drawn over his lips.
The young man looked at the sleeping child. He was moved again. After
all, it wasn't so difficult to be a responsible father. Maybe, it was more
difficult to be an evil father, as Gendo had been, more than being a sweet
and tender father, as he'll have been.
The young man left his thoughts, when he realized that , probably,
Fuu Tien's parents had to be worry in that moment, for their son's absence.
Fuu Tien couldn't walk yet, but he often crawled, and probably he had to
go away while his parents were inattentive. So it would have been better
go and look for his parents. .
Shinji took the lift, directed to the fourth floor, where
Fuu-Tien's parents worked usually.
It sounded strange the child had a Chinese name, though both
his parents were Japanese.
Maybe the reason was that his father's parents were Chinese, and it
was decided to name Fuu Tien's like his grandfather, in order to honour
him. Anyway, that name fitted him perfectly.
It sounded so sweet, sweet as he was. But maybe every name is sweet, when it's give to a child.
Once he arrived at the fourth floor, Shinji went through one of the corridors, which will have led him to destination. In fact, the closer he headed, the more he heard some voices, as if someone was quarreling. The voice sounded very familiar.
"I can't believe it!!!!! How could you do it!?!?!?", the exclamation echoed through the corridor. The man turned the corner, and saw in the distance doctress Maya Ibuki, in front of the office door, making a heavy scene with captain Shigeru Aoba, her husband, who had stayed there to put up with her , trying to explain his own reasons, even if it was impossible to calm Maya's anger
"It was not my fault, dear!!! He was there a moment ago and I was working!! And when I turned he had vanished !!" the poor Shigeru said defending himself, trying to calm her.But he didn't reach his goal...
"You are a liar!!! You weren't working!!!You were playing your electric
guitar again!!Do you think I'm so stupid to believe that you were working!!?!?!?
You can't deny it!!" Maya was really furious. Neither Maya or
Shigeru had been aware of Shinji observing the scene, otherwise they
would have lowered their voices
"Eeeeh...emm... ehm...Maya-chan. I didn't mean it...I..." Shigeru kept on smiling nervous, not being able to object against Maya's truth anymore.
Maya looked at Shigeru filled with anger, then she burst out crying.
"*Sob*..I knew it!! *Sob* It's all your fault, Shigeru!!! Because of that damned guitar, I'll have to look for our little Fuu-Tien!! Bwaaaaaaaahah!!!!!!Who knows where he could be, right now? You should be ashamed of yourself, Shigeru!! I had entrusted him to you only for an hour !!Poor my little Fuu-chan!! Who knows how scared he will be, in such a big place !!! " Maya didn't know to cry or argue with Shigeru
"Ehm...Maya-chan,don't be this way! Nothing could happen to our little Fuu-chan!! A child crawling on all fours will not be unnoticed!! Perhaps someone has already found him and is bringing him to us! Or he has stopped somewhere to play "
"STOP!!! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANYMORE, SHIGERU!! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT, FUU-TIEN GOT LOST!! AND NOW YOU CANNOT MAKE EXCUSES, YOU HAVE GOT TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS!!! UNDERSTOOD!?!?"
Before the quarrel increased, Shinji had decided to move forward and return them the baby, explaining the situation.
"Ehm.... Excuse me..."Shinji stopped Maya and Shigeru's argument, while slowly moving towards them.
Both of them turned suddenly towards him, once they had heard Shinji's voice, and Maya, imaging that Shinji had probably watched all their scene blushed terribly, then she first bowed, greeting in a militar way "GOOD MORNING SIR VICE-COMMANDER!!"
Shigeru copied Maya's gesture some moment after, clumsy "GOOD..GOOD MORNING!!"
Shinji moved backward embarassed! He was not used yet to be greeted in such a formal way
"Ehm…good..good morning to you ! " , answered the man, blushing.
"Well..I have heard your argument unintentionally and I came back to return you your son .", Shinji said, drawing nearer and showing the child who was still asleep.
Maya and Shigeru got up after the bow, then they looked at their son sleeping in the young vice-commander's arms and cheered up at once.
"Aaaah!! Here is my little Fuu-chan!! Thanks a lot, Vice-Commander Ikari!!! " Maya exclaimed, while running towards Shinji to take her son back
"Not at all... ", Shinji said, passing the baby to Maya gently.
Maya took the baby in her arms and hugged him thightly to her, while Shigeru went towards her smiling, and she was petting the child's head with her free hand.
"Please excuse me....", Shinji said, trying to explain. "I was walking and I absent-minded stumbled over the child, who came towards me, and perhaps, before I fell, I stepped on his hand... I merely rinsed it with fresh water,and he looks like he's good now. I'm so sorry for this little accident ! " the man said, in a regretful tone.
"Oh, don't worry , Vice-Commander Ikari!! We ore the ones who have to
excuse ourselves. I had taken my mind off, and Fuu-chan who was playing
on the
ground went away crawling, without me noticing him! I'm sorry
for having given you troubles!" Shigeru exclaimed, keeping on caressing
their son's head.
"You're safe, Shigeru! Thank you Shinj…ehm….the Vice-Commander for having saved you by my anger!! " Maya said to her husband
"Ehm. yeah! it's true! But..what do you want from me!? I'm still a beginner as a father!" Shigeru answered, defending himself.
Shinji smiled " Say no more..it was a big pleasur for me to spend some
time with your son...he learned me a lot of things..he's really a wonderful
child.Congratulations, really!" Shinji answered, thinking again about
how many things this experience had learnt him.
"Th..thanks", Shigeru Maya chorused confused, not undrestanding what the man was referring to.
"Now I've got to leave you.." Shinji said , bowing quickly, and observing
one more time the little Fuu-Tien who is now sleeping among her mother's
arms, before turning and going on for his way.
"Good-bye, Vice-Commnder Ikari! And thanks for all!",Shigeru answered in a shrill tone..
Shinji walked smiling now, while heading towards the lift again. Now
he had no doubt about the possibility of being a good father. He was sure
of it.
That child had given him a lesson of life. After all he had not been
that bad. .He had done the same with Rei ten years ago, when they both
were pilots, and the girl had her hand burnt , while preparing tea, and
he wetted it under the current water. .
That time, staying so near to Rei, he understood what he felt for her
was really love. And so , now, it happened the same thing with the little
Fuu-Tien. How is it possible water was so important in his life?..
Shigeru also feels a beginner as a father..but not for this reason he's
not able to
give love and affection to his baby. It was not a problem, and Shinji
knew it. By now, he was no more scared, and he was happy. He was looking
forward
his child will have born. Misato was right. Fears disappear only when
someone faces them. He was sure that Rei also thought this way.....
End of Second Chapter.
*Some time ago I read an american FF of Eva, where a carachter called
Isamu,
who was created by the author of the Fiction ("THE HAPPY LIFE"), fell
in
love with Asuka and decided to become her boyfriend. But I modified
the
thing a little. Infact, in my FF, Asuka broke off with Isamu
*Some time ago I read an american FF of Eva, where a carachter called
Isamu, who was created by the author of the Fiction ("THE HAPPY LIFE"),
fell in love with Asuka and decided to become her boyfriend. But
I modified the thing a little
la cosa . Infact, in my FF, Asuka broke off with Isamu
*********
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