Disclaimer: Gainax owns Evangelion, I do not, and I will remove this story faster than you can say LAWSUIT... rather than actually face one. Also, this is a HUGE departure for me, as it is an Asuka/Rei fic. I have never tried anything even remotely like this before, so if it is godawful, I'm really sorry.

Fire and ice
By Random1377

Rei Ayanami stared at Asuka Langley Souryu as she sobbed. Shinji Ikari had left many minutes ago, unable to cope with the harsh words the redhead had thrown at him. They were very harsh indeed, but Rei understood that the girl was in agony on a very deep level... and could not fathom why Shinji - who shared the girl's LIVING SPACE - would not comfort her.

-She is in pain...- Rei thought as Asuka wiped her eyes once more, -I... must do something.-

She approached the yellow tape and stood where Shinji had, her hands at her sides. "Pilot Souryu?" she called quietly, "May I speak with you?"

Asuka twisted around, putting one hand on the ground for balance, "You..." her voice quaked with rage, "you bitch! Did you come to rub it in? That I needed to be saved?" she wiped her eyes quickly, determined not to let the pale girl see her crying.

Rei looked at the fury in her eyes and shook her head slowly, "No," she said plainly, "I came to offer you comfort, since you-"

"I don't need your damn comfort!" Asuka spat, "I don't need anyone!"

"Then why do you tremble?" Rei whispered, stepping forward and breaking through the tape, "An individual cannot exist in a void... there must be contact with others..."

"What would you know?" Asuka said, a cruel smile crossing her face, "You only do what you're told to do!"

Rei knelt at her side, "No one told me to speak to you... I chose to."

Asuka frowned, "I don't believe you, Misato-"

"Major Katsuragi is unaware that I am here," Rei cut in smoothly, "only you and I know that I have broken the quarantine."

Asuka looked to the broken tape, her frown deepening. As she was distracted, she did not notice Rei leaning forward until the girl's arms wrapped around her, pulling her into a gentle embrace.

"You let me go!!" the blue-eyed girl screamed, struggling to get free, "I hate you!"

"I will not," Rei replied calmly, holding her tighter than before. It was not easy, as the plugsuits were very low friction material, and the were both still damp from the LCL, "I will not release you, Pilot Souryu... you are in pain... let me ease it."

"What would you know about pain, you fucking DOLL!!" the other girl screamed, "You don't know what I feel, you don't even HAVE feelings!!"

Rei's voice was steady, "I am not a doll... and I do have feelings. It... pains me, to see you suffer."

"Why..." Asuka's voice shook, "Why would you care for me? WHY!? I never asked you too!"

"A person does not need a reason to care," Rei whispered, "but if you require one to accept my help, I will tell you that I admire your strength... and your courage... and your determination... is that enough...?"

Asuka stopped fighting momentarily and Rei let her pull back a bit face her, "You're just... you pity me..." she said quietly, "you feel sorry for me... I don't want your pity!!"

"I do not feel sorry for you, you are the one who chose to enter combat when I had been designated," her words caused Asuka's jaw to drop, "but I do feel sorry for what happened to you," Rei went on quietly, "no one should have to experience what you experienced..."

Asuka's voice became uncertain, "You're... trying to trick me..." Rei could see the glimmer of hope in her eyes... the hope that this was not true.

"I am not," she said, embracing the girl once more, "I am merely trying to reach you..."

Asuka tried to push away again, "No... you... don't like me, no one does!!"

Rei did not know what to do... the redhead would not listen to reason. "I DO like you... Asuka," the girl's first name came awkwardly to her, "how can I show you that?"

"I don't... I..." Asuka pulled away, her eyes meeting Rei's, -Does she care? NO! How could she... but... is it possible?- her mind felt like it was on fire. "You've... you've NEVER liked me! Why are you pretending to now?" her voice held a desperate edge.

Rei looked surprised, "When have I ever said that I dislike you?"

"You've never showed that you cared, so you must not!" Asuka continued to try and pull away.

"I... do not express my feelings very well..." Rei said softly, "but that does not mean they are not there. How can I make you believe that I care that you are in pain?" She leaned forward abruptly and kissed Asuka on the cheek.

-She... I... what is she...- Asuka's mind could not translate what was happening into rational thought. -Her lips are soft...- part of her mind noted, -STOP HER!- another voice commanded, -She's a GIRL! This is wrong!!- but she found that she could not do anything... her shock was complete. -This is wrong...- her mind repeated desperately, -I like... I like boys...- but she could not deny the soothing effect that being held by another - any other - was having on her.

Rei pulled back, "Is that proof enough?" she asked quietly.

Asuka slapped her. "How DARE you?!" she screamed at the surprised girl, "How dare you kiss me, you freak!"

Rei rubbed her cheek, "I... I wanted to show that I care for you..." she said haltingly. -I... did not know that it would feel so nice...- she thought.

She pulled away from Asuka and stood on unsteady feet, "I..." her hand went to her lips, as if trying to dispel the lingering feeling of Asuka's skin... or perhaps trying to recall it, "I am sorry... I did not mean to... to..." For the first time in her life, Rei Ayanami did something she had never thought herself capable of... she ran.

She ran blindly from the other girl, her head down and her eyes barely open, -What does this mean?- she thought, running faster, -Why... why would I feel this way? I do not understand...-

When she reached the locker room, she collapsed on the floor, whispering in confusion, "What is happening to me? What is this feeling?" she threw her head back, "Why can I not stop thinking of her face!?"

Finding no answers from the harsh florescent lights, she curled into a ball on the floor, unable to deal with the overwhelming rush of unfamiliar emotions, the memory of the blue-eyed girl's skin... and the unexpected warm feeling that was still lingering deep within her.

Asuka sat in stunned silence as the other girl ran away, still trying to comprehend what had happened between them. -She... kissed me...- she thought, staring at the ground. -That bitch! I...- she frowned deeply, "I didn't... like it, did I?" she whispered. She put her hand to her cheek, "If I did does that mean I'm... what DOES that mean?"

She looked in the direction that Rei had gone, thinking about what she should do next. Uncertainty swirled within her. One thing she knew for sure, though - the feeling that she had been filled with when Rei embraced her could only be one thing... happiness.

Continued... (Yes, continued)

Author's notes: Ok, I've modified it to adjust for Rei and Asuka's characterization... I hope. I've also toned it down a bit. I'm not saying they WON'T kiss in a future chapter (if I even take it past chapter 2, which is already near completion, and I refuse to abandon), but as several reviewers pointed out, Rei would not be that bold, and Asuka would not be that calm about it initially - even if she DID like it, she would NEVER admit it so fast by kissing Rei back. I hope this hits better.

Feedback is always welcome at random1377@yahoo.com.