Chapter 2 - Thoughts
Shinji woke up. Soft rays of light were coming in from behind his curtains. He pulled his SADT ear pieces out of his ear, and stopped the player. He noticed that it was on track 25. 'Every morning always on 25…odd.'
Shinji got up and went to take a quick shower. His roommates were still in their deep slumbers. It was only 6 in the morning. Shinji entered the bathroom and made a quick check for Pen-Pen. However, the warm water penguin was still snoozing away in his fridge.
'Finally, some time to think and relax.' Shinji quickly washed up and then leaned his head against the shower wall and let the warm water beat on his back. 'Asuka, why do you have to be so…' Shinji could not come up with a word to describe her. Sure he thought she was attractive, but as she said, she probably would not want to do anything with him. Unless it was for NERV, such as the synchronization to defeat the 7th angel, Israfeel. 'You seemed to enjoy that first kiss, and I did too, even though you were holding my nose. Yesterday, you started to relax a few seconds in to the kiss…but then you just took it all away. Why?!?'
*Beep…Beep…Beep* Then the noise stopped.
That noise woke Shinji from his thoughts. 'That's Asuka's alarm clock…shit, I have been in here for about an hour!' Shinji scrambled to get out of the shower and dressed. A few minutes later, he rushed out of his room and started to make breakfast. Looking at the clock Shinji noticed he had about 10 minutes to get some breakfast made for Asuka, or it was not going to be a pleasant morning.
"Wak!" A featherless bird stated. Shinji took 2 thawed fish and put them on a plate for Pen-Pen. He swallowed them down and went back to his fridge. 'You know better than to take a bath now,' Shinji smiled at that thought. Recalling when a certain redhead sent Pen-Pen flying into the patio door, when Pen-Pen would not let her take a shower before school.
Shinji quickly made some minute rice and some leftover vegetables. He also grabbed a few eggs out of the fridge and scrambled them for Asuka and Misato.
"Guten Morgen Shinji," said a sleepy voice with a hint of a smile.
Shinji had just placed Asuka's plate on the table when she said that. "Good Morning Asuka," replied Shinji. Shinji quickly glanced at the clock 7:15. Asuka was up per her usual time, least out of bed. Shinji quickly ate his food and got up to make the lunches. Asuka ate her food quietly and went to take her shower.
"Morning Shinji," another voice replied. Shinji turned to see Misato in her short shorts and tank top with the bottom cut off to show her belly-button.
"Morning," Shinji said as he smiled. Many of the guys at school, expecially Toji and Kensuke, would die to be in his shoes. Misato's choice of attire quickly dulled on Shinji as he learned more of her habits.
Misato sat down to eat. "Hey Shinji could you grab me a beer?...Please."
"But I got you some orange juice there for you." Shinji stated as he pointed to the glass on the table while still making the school lunches.
"You know I can't start my day without my morning beer!"
"Alright…but drink that orange juice first!"
"What, why you…" Misato started to rise as Shinji put a can down on the table.
"Here you go."
'Where did the can come from? I did not see him go to the fridge' pondered Misato. 'Oh well!'
"Thanks, umm..don't you have to get going?" Misato mentioned as she pointed at the clock. Shinji turned to check the clock…time was getting short. If they did not leave in the next few minutes they were going to be late for classes.
"Asuka! We got to get going!"
"I know that…just give me a minute." Her voice ran out from her room.
'When did she get to her room? I didn't see her leave the bathroom. Anyways…'
Shinji rushed to his room and picked up his bookbag. As he walked out Asuka was still in her room. As Shinji was putting his shoes on, Asuka walked out of her room.
"Bye Misato, we are going now!" She called back to the kitchen.
"Bye, have a good day. And don't forget Sync Tests after school!"
"Right, later!"
"Bye Misato!" Shinji called out just as the door closed.
* * *
"Rise, Bow, Sit" A shuffling of chairs was heard as students rushed to comply to the class rep's orders.
"Second Impact, greatly changed mankind…." Shinji stopped paying attention very quickly. He had heard this lecture many times and he knew the truth. Not this whole meteor impacting Antarctica crap. A soft beep got Shinji's attention. Someone sent him a message over via his laptop. Shinji pulled up the message. It was from Toji.
"Hey Shinji, I know it is kinda personal but why do you pilot?"
Shinji was taken aback by this. He more so expected this from Kensuke than Toji.
Shinji hit 'Reply' and typed: "Toji, I can't really explain why I pilot, I just do. But I can meet with you after the sync tests today. Then we can talk if you want."
A few seconds passed and Toji replied him back, "Sure, we can go to my place."
"Sounds good, meet me in front of school at 5."
"No prob," was Toji's last reply before he signed off.
Shinji then closed the messenger and looked to the teacher. He was still droning on about second impact. Shinji turned to look at Asuka. She had her head down on her desk and was sleeping. 'She is beautiful.' Shinji blushed a slight shade of red and quickly turned away. He did not want Toji and Kensuke seeing him. They would then tease him to no end. 'They just would not give up.' He then glanced at Rei. She was staring out the window as she always does. 'Is she really board or does she just not care?'
* * *
"Asuka….Come die with me Asuka…"
"NO! I don't want to die!" Screamed Asuka.
Then the voice faded away. Asuka found herself in a playground. 'Huh...What? I thought I was at school.'
"Why do you think of him?"
Asuka turned around to face the voice. Before her was the doll she so despised, standing, staring at her with those black button eyes.
"You!" Asuka fiercely pointed at the doll. "What are you doing here…You're not real."
"But I am real, in your mind I am. You care for him." The doll just stared at Asuka.
"What? Who?"
Images of Shinji flashed in the sky.
"Him!" She exclaimed as she pointed to the sky. "No way," Asuka shook her head as she continued "he is a pervert and a baka. I don't even like him."
"But your thoughts and dreams tell otherwise."
She closed her eyes from the images. "No! NO!" as she shook her head again.
"You liked the kiss…he is attractive…he is more available than Kaji"
"No! Why are you tormenting me!" Asuka yelled as she stared at the doll. Hoping it would burst into flames and disappear.
"I am just stating the obvious…I am you, I know you."
"No, you are nothing like me. You are NOT me!"
"But I am, I know all of you, I am you, stuck in your mind. You can't lie to me."
As Asuka slid to the ground, "I hate you…you took mother from me." She hugged her knees to her chest.
"No, I did not, your mother left for other reasons. Why do you care for him?"
"I…I…" Images of Asuka's life flashed before her eyes as tears threatened to fall.
"He is the only one who tries to know you, he does not ogle over you, he even rescued you…against order no less."
"But…He would leave me like all the others…I can't get close…I don't want to be hurt again." Asuka replied into her knees.
"You are wrong."
* * *
Asuka bolted awake, sitting straight up. Someone gasped at her side. Asuka looked to face the person. It was Hikari.
"Asuka! You nearly gave me a heart attack." Hikari gasped as she moved her hand from her chest. "Come on it is time for lunch."
Asuka looked around the room. No one was there.
"Baka Shinji is gone…he has my lunch."
"Uh…actually he gave it to me to give to you. He mumbled something of not waking you up. Here." Hikari handed Asuka a box that had her name on it.
"Oh ok, thanks Hikari, come on…I'm hungry!" Asuka grabbed Hikari's hand and ran out the door.
* * *
"Not wanting to wake the red-haired devil up…huh? What was that about? You going soft on us?"
"N…no..it's not like that..."
"Yeah…sure…right." Toji said smiling, and elbowing Kensuke.
Shinji, blushed due to the teasing of his friends. "Oh come on guys…let's just finish our lunches."
"Suzuhara!" Toji sat straight up at the sound to the class rep's voice. "You are wanted at the Principal's office again." That said the class rep stared a few more seconds at Toji and then slowly turned around and walked away.
"What you do know?" Shinji and Kensuke said at the same time.
"Ah…nothing that I know of," Toji shrugged his shoulders. "Well later guys." Toji then gathered the rest of his uneaten lunch and headed down to the Principal's office.
* * *
"How are they doing?" Misato inquired as she turned to Ritsuko.
"Asuka is up 10 percent, Shinji is up 12 percent, and Rei is up 7 percent." Ritsuko answered as she bent down to look at Maya's computer screen.
"So…Shinji decided to keep his number one status after all," stated Misato as she turned to look at the pilot in question on the main viewer.
"I suppose…but I think Shinji just syncs with his Eva. I believe that it is more of him wanting to protect life as to why he pilots." Ritsuko answered as she stood up to look at Misato.
"I suppose you are quite right. However, I still can't believe what his father did to him." Stated Misato as she glanced briefly to the floor before looking back at Ritsuko. "But anyways…how is the search for the 4th child going?"
"It is going well for all I know. I think we'll get a report in a few days."
"Good." Misato brought her attention to one of the technicians in front of her. "Hyuga, open a link to all the pilots."
"Yes ma'am." Hyuga punched a few keys on his panel. "It's open."
"Good work guys. Tests are completed, you can go home."
"Finally, this LCL stuff does nothing for my hair," complained Asuka.
"Yes ma'am."
"Ok Misato, but I have to go meet Toji so I will be late coming home."
"What! You are going to have me eat her food?!?" Asuka moved to fill the viewer with an image of her face.
"If you don't like my food…then you can make your own!"
Asuka stuck her tongue out at Misato via the communication screen, just when Misato closed the link. Shinji sighed bubbles in the LCL, as the un-synchronization program initiated. 'Asuka, relax I will make it up to you.'
Author Notes
Wutdaheck – Thanks for the review. I hope the changes I made filled out the fic more.
I made few revisions to this chapter. Mostly added some actions and movement, I noticed this after a review and re-reading the fic.
Next chapter will hopefully be out in a few days.
Your Thoughts Are Welcome!