Author's prerant: O.k. here's the second instalment of The Price of Victory. As I said before this chapter was pretty much already completed so the only delay was in conscripting a friend of mine who has seen the series to pre read it for me. And on a similar note a big thanks to Steve Vader for your valued input.
Thanks for the reviews you guys, I was really nervous about posting this fic but after hearing your positive feedback and constructive criticisms I feel much better about continuing on. And so I shall.
Chapter 2 – Reactions
Three days after the battle with the fifth angel all is calm in Central Dogma. The three 'bridge bunnies' as they are affectionately known are nearing the end of yet another boring shift and having already completed their designated tasks are waiting for their relief.
Shigeru Aoba is sitting on the right hand seat leaning back with his eyes closed and a blissful expression on his face. His fingers work tirelessly on his air guitar as he cuts into an awesome riff he heard the other day from one of his friends outside of NERV. The song was Master of Puppets by Metallica, an old pre-second impact metal band whom were very popular at the time. Aoba was oblivious to his surroundings as he imagined his moment of glory, playing wildly on his guitar in front of tens of thousands of adoring fans. All was truly right with the world at that moment.
Makato Hyuga who occupied the centre chair of the command centre was leaning forward with an amused expression as he worked his way through the latest manga he bought on the way into work. The comic sat open on his console and was the latest in a new giant robot series. He chuckled to himself as he read through it wondering where people came up with this kind of thing. Despite, or perhaps because of the fact that he worked with actual giant robots, he found this particular series to be rather far fetched, but entertaining nonetheless.
Maya Ibuki who had finished all her assigned work for the day was not as content as her two compatriots to waste duty time. She was busily typing away at her terminal at an astonishing speed which was second only to the master herself, Dr Ritsuko Akagi, her mentor and superior. Maya was running various diagnostics on the MAGI and reviewing essential systems, verifying that everything was running efficiently. Completing these additional tasks, she looked at her watch and found that they only had 5 minutes before they were to be relieved and so she sat back and closed her eyes to wait out the remaining minutes.
She found her thoughts drifting to the battle only three days before. Not much had been said by anyone after the event, as it was the closest that they had come so far to dying. The angel had actually managed to breach the defensive armour plating and penetrated into the Geofront itself. Then there was the problem with Rei and Unit 00 of which no one, not even Dr Akagi had an answer for. Similarly, Unit 01s anomalous AT Field wasn't understood either, though Commander Ikari was seen standing in front of Unit 01 after most of the techs had left and had his trademark smirk as if he alone knew the answers.
Her thoughts then turned to the pilots of the giant mecha. Rei recovered quickly and had left without so much as a word to anyone, not that that was surprising. Shinji recovered soon after Rei but had been summoned to the Commander's office after which he was incarcerated in the prison block for three days. Everyone was in shock at the harshness of the punishment and plenty of resentment was directed at the now aptly named 'Bastard King', the name courtesy of Misato. Thinking of Shinji reminded Maya that he was to be released today and she wondered if he would pilot for them again after such poor treatment. She decided to find out what the other two thought of the situation.
"You know Shinji gets released today" she said as she turned to face her two colleagues. Hyuga glanced up form his manga at her sudden question and looked at her curiously for a moment before her words sunk in.
"Hey you're right. It's been three days; I bet time must have really dragged on for him."
"Yeah, the poor kid. He saves all of our lives and that's the way he gets repaid for it. Do you think he'll still pilot after that?" she asked with a concerned look on her face.
"Can't say for sure" Hyuga replied. "He's a strange kid. Misato says that he pretty much does as he's ordered to, but after the last battle and how he was punished...I guess only he knows."
"I for one sure hope he stays with it. He's got a talent for piloting and he's saved our lives three times already" Aoba chimed in after finishing his concert.
"That's for sure."
"But he doesn't enjoy it. He always gets hurt in the EVA and he seems so miserable" whispered Maya sadly.
"Still what choice is there?" Aoba asked.
"It's either that or we all die. I for one would like to live out my life to a ripe old age rather than dying tomorrow..." added Hyuga.
"Yeah, I suppose you're right. But if he doesn't pilot we are in serious trouble. The second child isn't supposed to show up for another couple of weeks and Unit 00 won't be operational for at least a month" Aoba informed with a frown.
The three of them sat in silence, digesting this latest insight. Whilst Unit 01 would be repaired by tomorrow, Unit 00 had to have its entire chest remodelled and much of the control interface replaced. Then there was the regeneration time... All in all there would be a hell of a lot of work involved in getting the stubborn EVA back to operational ability, let alone peak efficiency.
"Maybe there's something we can do for Shinji..." Hyuga thought out loud. Aoba looked at him curiously but Maya sat up straighter as a thought just occurred to her.
"Why don't we go and see him when he gets released this afternoon?"
Aoba and Hyuga both gave her a quizzical look.
"What?" she asked defensively. The two continued to stare at her like she had grown a third arm out of her skull, but Hyuga's expression softened as he remembered something Misato told him once.
"Misato once told me that Shinji doesn't have many friends. He doesn't know how to socialise and is really introverted. Maybe it would be good for him if we showed up and gave him some moral support."
Aoba turned his gaze from Maya to Hyuga.
"Hmmm...now that you put it that way, it might not be such a bad idea."
Maya smiled in triumph and mouthed a thankyou to Hyuga whilst Aoba wasn't looking. He nodded discretely in reply.
"So what time is he actually being released?"
"In an hour. We'll have time to get something to eat before we go and meet him."
Any further conversation ended when the doors to the command centre opened and the relief crew strolled in together. The three bridge bunnies quickly grabbed their things and vacated their seats for the next shift before heading out the door and towards the cafeteria. After a bite to eat they proceeded to where they would wait for Shinji.
* * * * *
The past three days had been a nightmare for Shinji. The only time he had ever felt more alone was the day his father abandoned him after his mother's death. He didn't get much sleep as every time he did the nightmares would start soon after dropping into unconsciousness and he would be awake within minutes. Being awake wasn't much better as he couldn't get his mind off of the unpleasant thoughts which dominated his consciousness in this place.
The only relief he had, and the only thing that kept him sane, was the regular visits from Misato and Rei. They came in at different times so that he would have as much company as possible and he found himself longing for more time with them. It was amazing how different the two were. Misato was all talk, talk, talk, trying to fill in every second she was there. Rei on the other hand said very little but her presence was just as comforting as Misato's. He was always saddened when they were forced to leave because there's only so much you can do when you are locked in a cell by yourself with no entertainment and trapped with unpleasant thoughts.
Whilst he was told that it had only been three days that he was imprisoned it felt like three years. With one look at Shinji people might actually believe that he had been in there for three years. He was very ragged looking with large dark circles surrounding his bloodshot eyes and his clothes were dirty and unkempt. His skin was no longer red from the burning LCL though since he hadn't had a shower since being here he reeked severely.
When the guard finally arrived to escort him out Shinji couldn't help but sigh in relief. He was looking forward to breathing in fresh air and being with his friends who were probably worrying about him. The burly guard led him down the corridor and out into the main room where there was a small crowd waiting for him. Shinji stopped dead in his tracks and his eyes went wide as he saw the reception awaiting him.
Misato was there at the front and greeted him with a dazzling smile as soon as she saw him. She quickly ran over and enveloped him in a crushing bear hug which knocked the air out of his lungs and caused him to gasp desperately for air, though without success.
"Misato I think you're killing him" spoke an amused spectator as Shinji's face turned from normal, to red, to blue. Upon hearing the words Misato quickly released the poor boy and he promptly collapsed to his knees gasping for breath. A round of laughter erupted from those present and Misato felt slightly embarrassed at her actions.
"Sorry" she said sheepishly. "I guess I got a little carried away..."
"A little?" came the sarcastic reply to which Misato just stuck out her tongue in response.
"Are you o.k. Ikari?" queried Rei with the slightest hint of concern in her soft voice as she approached him.
"I'm fine...Ayanami...thanks." He managed to reply in between ragged breaths. After several moments of silence he finally managed to compose himself and rise to his feet from which he glanced at the faces of those present. Misato was standing by his side still beaming a brilliant smile and to his other side was Rei who had an almost imperceptible smile which to Shinji was just as brilliant as Misato's. In front of him much to his surprise was Ritsuko whom Shinji realised was the one teasing Misato and she still had a bemused expression on her face.
"Hello Shinji. It's good to see you again. Are you feeling alright?" she asked in her casual tone.
"I'm fine thankyou Dr Akagi" he said softly before turning to the trio standing beside Ritsuko.
Maya Ibuki had a warm smile on her smooth, appealing face and Shinji could see the genuine care in her gentle eyes which caused him to unconsciously smile. She stood with her arms by her sides and was still dressed in her NERV uniform as were her two workmates. Seeing his smile only made her own smile broaden and she knew it was the right move to come here.
Shigeru and Makato both stood with their arms crossed but had small smiles on their faces when Shinji looked at them.
"Hey Shinji. Misato told us that you were being released today and so Maya thought it would be nice if we came to greet you. After all you are the man of the moment and we all owe you ours lives and our thanks" Shigeru said as Shinji turned his attention to him. The comment caused Maya to blush and she lowered her face in an effort to hide it, but not very successfully.
"He's right Shinji. You did a really brave thing during that fight and we are all very proud of you" spoke Makato after Shigeru had finished. His face darkened slightly as he continued. "We were all shocked when we heard about how the Commander was going to punish you but there was nothing we could do to help. Being here now and expressing our thanks to you is the least we can do."
Shinji just stood there in shock. Never before had he heard so much praise from so many people before. They actually care he thought to himself and with everyone staring at him he found that he couldn't control the blush consuming him. Mimicking Maya he dropped his gaze and a gentle round of laughter escaped from the other adults. Rei was confused as to why Ikari's reaction justified laughter but decided to keep it to herself for now. Maybe she would ask Shinji or Misato later...
Looking up once the laughter had died away Maya stepped forward and gently pulled Shinji into a hug. Shinji was stunned at first (as was everyone else in the room aside from Rei) but quickly melted into the embrace. They remained like that for only a few seconds before Maya stood back, the blush much more visible now on both of their faces.
"Shinji I want you to know that we all care for you very much. You are the bravest and the most courageous person I know. You go out there and you fight for us, defending all of us from the angels and you don't get the recognition you deserve. Just know that we are all so proud of you and we are always here for you."
"Th-thankyou Miss Ibuki" he stammered after managing to find his voice.
"Please, call me Maya."
"Thankyou...Maya. It...It means a lot to me" he whispered and lowered his gaze once more. Everyone else had just managed to recover from their surprise at Maya's bold (for her) move and Misato decided that the last thing Shinji wanted was to spend more time here underground.
"Alright everyone, I think that Shinji would like to go home and freshen up after his ordeal. Are we all free tomorrow night?" she asked with a devilish gleam in her eye. Everyone nodded their agreement and a sly smile formed on her face.
"Excellent! Then everyone here is invited to the 'welcome home Shinji' party! How's 1900 sound?" Once again everyone spoke or nodded their ascent and Misato clapped her hands, very satisfied with the results. She then turned to Rei.
"And how about you Rei? I assume you will be there as well?" Rei looked blankly at Misato for several seconds and Misato found her smile starting to slip.
"I...I don't know what is expected of me at such a social event" she whispered softly. Misato's smile picked up as she saw her chance.
"Well I guess we'll just have to have a little girl to girl talk then wont we?" she said with a wink. Rei didn't understand the gesture but figured it would be simpler if she just agreed. After all, Ikari was her friend and the party was in his honour so she was naturally going to attend. An audible groan could be heard from Ritsuko as she realised how badly this could turn out.
"Well it's settled then! I don't know about the rest of you but Shinji and I have definitely seen enough of this place so let's go and I'll see you all tomorrow"
Everyone said their goodbyes and Shinji was again surprised as Makato and Shigeru both approached him and shook his hand in thanks before departing. Ritsuko smiled gently at Shinji and bid him farewell before turning to Maya who again surprised everyone by embracing Shinji again.
"Remember what I said Shinji. Rest well and I'll see you tomorrow" she said with a warm smile.
"Thankyou Miss Ibu…Maya. I will. See you tomorrow" he said with a smile of his own. Ritsuko just shook her head in wonder and smiled as Maya joined her so that they could leave together.
Rei looked curiously at Maya before joining Misato and Shinji as they made their way out of the prison block and headed to the car park.
* * * * *
"So what was that all about?" asked Ritsuko as she and Maya made their way through the subterranean halls of the Geofront.
"What was what all about?" she inquired curiously. Ritsuko turned her head to watch her protégé's expression as they continued on their way to the EVA cages.
"Since when did you get all 'touchy feely'? And with Shinji no less...is there something you're not telling me?" she asked with a sly smile. Maya's face was as red as a tomato and she almost tripped over her own two feet in shock at the question.
"Wh...no...it...it's not like that!" she stuttered uncontrollably. Ritsuko laughed out loud at the younger woman's discomfort.
"Then what's the deal?" Maya took a moment to compose herself before offering a response.
"It's...it's just something Makato said. He said that Misato told him that Shinji doesn't have many friends, and that he doesn't make friends easily. She said that he's really introverted and lacks confidence in himself."
"So when are you going to ask him out?" she asked innocently though couldn't stop herself from grinning like a fool. Maya's jaw dropped and she stopped dead in her tracks whilst staring Ritsuko in the eye. "That is where this is going isn't it?"
"I told you it's not like that!" she pleaded desperately, still blushing like a school girl. "I just thought that it might be good for him to have some attention, to have someone say that they care" she continued in a soft voice.
"Do you care for him?" she asked seriously.
"I don't really know him very well, but he seems like such a nice kid and he doesn't deserve the treatment he gets. I care for his well being and want him to know that he's appreciated."
"I see. Just be careful that you don't send him the wrong message. If you're not cautious then you might end up hurting him."
"I wouldn't want that, he experiences enough pain without having someone else dishing out more to him. Do you think it was a bad idea?" she asked tentatively. Ritsuko gestured to Maya and they continued walking again as she considered her answer.
"No. I don't think I've ever seen Shinji smile so honestly before. Like you said, he does need attention and having an attractive older woman as his friend can only be good for his confidence." Just as Maya managed to get her blush under control it returned with Ritsuko's complement.
"Th-thankyou ma'am" she managed as she inclined her head.
"Well if we are going to make it to this party tomorrow night we better pull a double shift tonight. Unit 00 is still a long way from being operational and if we don't have Unit 01 fully repaired by tomorrow then Ikari will have my head."
"Yes ma'am!" she stated smartly as the two of them entered the EVA cages and went straight to work on Unit 01.
* * * * *
"Home" sighed Shinji as he crossed the threshold of the Katsuragi residence and entered the apartment. Misato followed close behind him and sealed the door before following him into the living room. She still wore a playful smile after all the teasing she gave Shinji on the way home. She had three days to make up for so she wasn't going to miss a single opportunity.
They had dropped Rei home and on the way picked up some takeout to consume since neither were in the mood to cook. It was still light outside so they decided to sit out on the small balcony to eat because Shinji wanted to enjoy the fresh air. The two sat together in companionable silence as they consumed their meals, Shinji with great gusto as he hadn't had a semi-decent meal in three days. Even the mediocre quality of the takeout was better than the slop he was forced to eat in the prison.
They were both lost in their own thoughts as they stared out into the city that was the fortress for all mankind. The damage caused by the prior battle was still obvious as the destroyed city block had only just been levelled and cleared of rubble. Shinji frowned as he saw the remains of his handy work and although it wasn't entirely his fault he still couldn't fully forgive himself for missing. Misato told him that no one was hurt in the blast as all the shelters in the area were buried very deep but that was only a moderate consolation to him.
The angel's corpse was still in the city as they currently didn't have any means with which to remove something of that size and mass. It was going to cost a fortune to eventually get rid of and Misato was not looking forward to the paperwork that would need to be filled out. The last angel had been significantly smaller and was destroyed in an easily accessible spot, but this one just had to kick the bucket right in the middle of the city hampering the removal efforts. It would be there for some time she mused, just another reminder of what mankind has to face in the name of survival.
Both finished their meals at about the same time and Misato, in a rare display of usefulness took both of their empty containers and deposited them in the bin before extracted a beer for herself and a soda for Shinji from the fridge. Upon returning outside she offered Shinji the soda which he gratefully accepted and readily consumed at a pace which matched Misato.
"It's a beautiful night" commented Misato as the sky had significantly darkened and the artificial lights of the fortress city cast their man-made luminescence in defiance of the night.
"You know what the worst part of living in a city is?" asked Shinji softly after several moments of silence.
"What's that?"
"You can't see the stars" he replied as he stared off into the heavens with a blank expression and unfocussed eyes. During the battle he had his first unobstructed view of the stars since coming to Tokyo III since all the power was being diverted to his oversized rifle. It was a site he sorely missed...especially when he was confined underground. Misato turned to look at him and was only mildly surprised by his contemplative state. Raising her gaze to the heavens she couldn't help but agree with him. She remembered how numerous and beautiful the stars were from the Antarctic where humans hadn't settled and thus offered them the best view one could get on the earth.
She also remembered the beauty of the aurora displays that far south. Due to the nature of the earth's magnetic field before second impact the sight could only be seen in the extreme north and south latitudes and it was the single most beautiful thing she had ever witnessed. Before long her thoughts turned to the other significant sight she witnessed near the South Pole and she shuddered at the memory. What she saw was not meant for human eyes and it still haunted her in her sleep to this day.
Shivering uncontrollably, she stood up to head inside but was interrupted by Shinji's soft voice.
"Please don't go" he whispered. Misato turned to look at him and her heart sank as she saw the pain in his eyes. Her unpleasant thoughts were instantly forgotten as she made her way over to Shinji and crouched at his side.
"Are you o.k?" she asked gently, concern evident in her voice.
"I...I just...I just don't want to be alone" he spoke so quietly that Misato barely heard him. She smiled gently at him and leaned forward to embrace him. He surprised her by holding on to her tightly and resting his head against her shoulder.
"I was so lonely. Only you and Ayanami would come and see me and the rest of the time there was nothing. Why Misato? Why did he do that to me?" he broke down in tears after asking the question. Misato felt as if someone had reached into her chest and tore her heart out. Here she was with the boy she considered her little brother crying in her arms about how cruelly his father had treated him. She felt no anger at that moment, only concern for her charge.
"I don't know Shinji, I just don't know. Your father...he is very driven. In his position he has to be tough, but there is just no excuse for what he did to you. I know how much it hurts Shinji, believe me I know but remember that I'm always here for you." The two remained in their embrace for several minutes before Shinji slowly pulled back and dried his eyes. He looked at Misato who was smiling gently at him and managed a weak smile of his own.
"Thankyou Misato, for everything."
"It's no problem Shinji. I'm just glad I could be here for you this time."
Silence reigned once again as they considered the moment they shared and by this time it was fully dark outside.
"Come on Shinji, you better have a shower and get some rest. You've had a long three days and besides, you're going to want to be your best for when your girlfriend comes around tomorrow" she teased with a sly grin.
"But...but she's not m-my girlfriend!" he stammered whilst blushing profusely. Misato burst out laughing and pulled him into another hug which he graciously accepted.
"I know, but you're just so much fun to tease!"
"Bully"
"Am not"
"Are to"
Am not"
"Are to"
"I am not!"
"Yes you are!"
"Humph. Fine, if that's the way it's going to be..." she trailed off with mock indignance. She released him from the hug and stood up drawing him to his feet. They stood there looking in to each others eyes for a long moment before Shinji broke the stare.
"Are you going to be alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine now. Thanks."
"Remember Shinji, you're not alone. We are always here for you."
"I know" and with that the two roommates re-entered the apartment, one heading off to the bathroom for a long overdue bath and the other to the fridge to retrieve another beer. Consoling people is thirsty work Misato thought wistfully as she consumed the can of beer in record time. But it's worth it she decided as she retrieved another one before collapsing on the couch to watch some TV.
* * * * *
Shinji awoke the next morning after the longest and most restful sleep he could ever recall. A combination of being in his own room instead of the uncomfortable and unfamiliar cell and having his treasured S-DAT made for a most relaxing experience. Glancing over at the clock he noticed that it was five minutes until he would normally get up and that he had forgotten to set his alarm before he fell asleep.
Being decidedly fresh, he didn't bother lying around for the last five minutes and instead got up and headed to his closet from which he extracted a school uniform before heading into the bathroom for his morning shower. He was actually looking forward to going to school today for the sole reason of seeing his friends again. Being locked up for so long with no one to regularly talk to was not an experience he wished to relive.
Finishing in the bathroom he paused outside of Misato's door to listen for any sign of life and after several moments he heard her soft rhythmic breathing and realised that she was still asleep. Not wasting any time he packed his school gear before heading to the kitchen to prepare himself and his roommate breakfast. Hearing a soft rustling noise behind him, he slowly turned to be confronted by his other roommate who looked none too impressed that he was not first on the list for breakfast.
"Waaark!" screamed the disgruntled penguin as he made his displeasure known by pecking Shinji's foot once.
"Ouch!" he cried in pain and began dancing around the kitchen on one foot whilst simultaneously holding and rubbing the injured foot with his hands. Still not satisfied with the inaction, the waterbird menacingly stalked towards Shinji with a maniacal gleam in its eye and looked at his uninjured foot with murderous intent. Realising his plight, Shinji figured that it was better to surrender and put off his meal whilst he tended to the hungry penguin.
"Alright, alright you win!" he muttered as he retreated away from the dangerous animal and opened a can of fish which he promptly dumped in the birds bowl. The angered avian stared at Shinji impatiently as he deposited the empty can in the bin and turned around to finish preparing his own breakfast.
"Waaark!" came the louder cry of complaint and again Shinji turned around to find the bird staring at him looking even angrier than before. Realisation hit Shinji and he quickly jumped up on the bench before the penguin could peck his uninjured foot. The warm water bird eyed Shinji dispassionately and looked to the fridge, then back at Shinji.
"You promise you won't attack me?" he asked as he stared down at his roommate. PenPen considered his request for a moment before nodding his agreement. Shinji cautiously eased himself down from the counter wary of any sign of deceit and slinked over to the fridge from which he withdrew a beer and opened it before setting it down next to the animal's bowl of fish.
He could have sworn that the damn thing smiled at him as it dug eagerly into the fish, washing it down with a can of Yebisu beer. Shaking his head and sighing softly he turned around and finally managed to finish his breakfast. Sitting at the table he quickly consumed his first piece of toast and was just starting on his second when Misato's door flew open and the woman stumbled out. She looked like she had just been run over by a car as she staggered blindly into the kitchen and groped at the fridge searching for her morning wake up call.
Finding her prize she then stumbled over to the table and collapsed in her regular chair and popped the top of the can.
"Good morning Misato" Shinji said cheerfully before bracing himself for what was about to happen.
"Good morning" was the half-hearted response before she upended the can and chugged down its entire contents in a matter of seconds. No matter now many times he saw it, Shinji still shook his head in wonder at how the woman could drink like that so often and still keep her figure.
"YEEEEEEHAAAAAAAA!" echoed the ear piercing shriek as Misato officially woke up. "Now THAT'S how you start a morning!" she finished as she stared at Shinji as if seeing him for the first time that morning. He quietly finished his breakfast and rose to make more toast for Misato and to bring out another beer for her.
"You read my mind!" she said cheerfully as she began to drink the offered can at a much more sedate pace than the first. Within minutes the toast was ready and Shinji rejoined Misato at the table.
"So are you looking forward to going back to school?" she asked between mouthfuls of toast.
"Yeah, I guess I am. I haven't seen Touji and Kensuke in days so it'll be good to catch up with them."
"Oh! Don't forget to invite them to the party tonight! And anyone else who you want to bring around as well, there's plenty of room for everyone!" she exclaimed happily as the thought of having a party and getting insanely drunk tonight made its way into her mind.
"Yeah, I'll remember. Seven o'clock tonight" he said offhand. Misato smiled at him before nodding up at the clock.
"You better get going if you don't want to be late for your first day back" she teased and after looking at the clock himself he realised that she was right. Where did the time go? he wondered idly as he made his way to the door, picking up his bag along the way.
"Seeya tonight Misato" he called out as he slipped his shoes on.
"Have a nice day!" was the disembodied reply and with that he departed his home to begin the trek to school.
* * * * *
The walk to school was uneventful and yet it was quite an experience for the young Ikari. After being locked up for three days underground he had a new appreciation for nature and his surroundings. He started to pass by the park which he had never before given a second glance but this time it seemed somehow different. Since it was perpetually summer due to the alteration in the earth's axial tilt after second impact, flowers were still in full bloom and the grass a lush green.
Shinji paused to give the sight his full attention and he drank in the beauty of this tranquil retreat in the great fortress city. Bees buzzed around happily as they inspected each flower carefully, searching for the prize at the centre of each. Birds chirped away from up in the branches of a large tree that stood defiantly against the metal buildings that surrounded it. A small fountain sat in the middle of the park and several small birds were bathing in it and splashing water about. It was such a small and simple little place and yet he couldn't take his eyes off it for long minutes.
Finally breaking from the trance that had beholden him he realised that he was going to be late and picked up his pace so as not to arrive too long after the bell. Numerous other small sights caught his eye as he strolled along but he didn't stop for them; however that's not to say that he didn't admire them. Funny how such an experience can change your perception of things... he thought as the school finally came into view with no one standing out the front.
He briskly proceeded through the halls and finally came to room 2-A. He quietly opened the door and everyone turned to see who had entered their class. Surprise was the most dominant expression from his classmates. Aside from a few smiles by a couple of the girls and some glares by several boys, the rest just stared.
"I'm sorry I'm late sensei" Shinji said, politely bowing to his teacher.
"I've been informed of the situation. You may take your seat Ikari" replied the teacher absently. Shinji quickly made his way to his seat and collapsed into it ignoring the stares from the other students. The teacher resumed his usual lecture about life before second impact and the effects that second impact had on the earth and its inhabitants.
Shinji just tuned it out like he normally did and found his thoughts dwelling on his harrowing experience. How could father do that to me? We won the battle and I saved Rei so why did he have to be so cold? He turned to see Rei sitting in her usual seat in her usual position of having her head cupped in the palm of one hand whilst staring absently out of the window. He stared at her for several seconds but noticing no change he returned his gaze to his desk.
His thoughts quickly resumed their dark course. What happens if I am in a situation like that again? What happens if I have to choose between killing the angel and saving a friend? I can't let someone I care for die, so I know what choice I'll make... but what will he do to me next time?
Despite willing it to be otherwise, he couldn't get his mind off the recent events and the dark possibilities that the future might hold. The only good thing about his thoughts was that the lesson passed by quickly and before he knew it the bell for lunch rang. Finally broken out of his thoughts Shinji packed up his gear but before he could even stand up he was confronted by two boys.
"Where you been?" "Are you alright?" were the simultaneous questions from his two friends Touji Suzahara and Kensuke Aida. Shinji looked at them both briefly before shrugging his shoulders and picking up his lunch from his bag.
"Yeah I'm alright. Just got a lot on my mind that's all" he sighed. His dark mood didn't go unnoticed by the pair whom despite being known as the 'idiot duo' really weren't as stupid as most people thought.
"Were you injured in the last battle? No one would tell us anything when we asked and you have been absent for three days... " Kensuke probed with his ever present video camera held at the ready by his side. Realising that he couldn't tell them the truth of the matter Shinji strained for a believable lie...unfortunately lying wasn't one of his strong points.
"Uh...they had to uh...confine me at NERV HQ after the battle...to make sure that I uh...was fully recovered..." he stumbled over his words and grimaced at how unbelievable they sounded. Touji nodded his head, understanding the situation but Kensuke; ever alert for gossip about the EVAs or the battles involving the EVAs wasn't satisfied.
"Come on man, you gotta tell me something! I won't go bragging about it to anyone I promise!" he begged with his best helpless expression. Shinji already uncomfortable with the position he was in struggled mentally to diffuse the situation. Nothing he thought of sounded convincing and he began to panic when he received help from an unexpected quarter.
"Ikari was confined in NERV headquarters as he previously stated. Why is this hard for you to accept?" The trio turned at the soft monotonous voice and stared at its owner in awe. Shinji managed a slight smile whilst Touji and Kensuke just stared in mute shock at hearing Rei come to Shinji's defence.
"Thanks Ayanami" he breathed and she nodded very slightly before strolling out of the door and heading to a secluded spot where she could eat her lunch in solitude. Touji and Kensuke followed her exit with their eyes, still unable to manipulate their tongue and vocal cords in a manner necessary to form words. Shinji saw this as his chance and snatched his lunch before darting out of the door leaving the stunned youths staring off into space.
"Did that just happen?" asked a very bewildered Touji.
"I think it did" Kensuke muttered in awe.
* * * * *
Hikari Horaki was sitting outside the building with two of her classmates and friends Ryoko and Ayumi eating her lunch. The day was glorious with not a cloud in sight and so the threesome decided that such a moment shouldn't be wasted even though most days were like this. They spoke about all the things that junior high school girls talked about, telling each other of all the latest gossip.
Hikari for the most part was just listening as she had her mind on other things. She absently ate her food and interjected a comment here and there when spoken to but she couldn't get her mind off something, or rather someone. She dared not tell anyone about her crush because she was embarrassed about how much teasing she would endure. She was sure that he didn't look at her that way anyway...but she was definitely going to find out one way or another.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw the object of her affection walking out through the door of the school building with his ever present friend in tow. She watched curiously as he looked around the schoolyard before finally spotting what he was looking for and set off at a brisk pace to sit with his friend Shinji who had left the building moments previous. Ever looking for a reason to talk to him without drawing suspicion, Hikari wondered how she could engineer the current situation to her advantage.
Hikari was a smart girl, no one doubted that and she quickly came up with an appropriate course of action. Smiling slightly she excused herself from her friends and gracefully made her way over to the trio across the yard, taking her time so as not to raise suspicion. As she drew near she caught the end of their conversation.
"Yeah, oh by the way, Misato is having a party over at the apartment at seven tonight. You guys are gonna show up I assume?" Shinji asked quickly, relishing the chance to have some extra company at home tonight.
"Misato? Of course we'll be there!" cried Kensuke in joy at the proposition. He made a mental note to recharge his camera as soon as he got home and to prepare a couple of extra tapes. Touji for his part just had a big grin plastered on his face as he nodded emphatically.
"So what's the occasion?" he asked curiously still grinning like a fool.
"Uh well you know Misato...heh...she could throw a party for anything..." Shinji answered evasively, not wanting to touch on their earlier topic.
"Well I'd like to know Misato better..." Touji trailed off as his eyes glazed over, playing out some hentai fantasy in his mind, or so Shinji assumed.
"What was that Suzahara?" inquired an authoritive voice from behind him. Touji jumped several feet in the air before landing on his feet and spinning around to face the unknown eavesdropper. He was thinking about what he would like to do to the person behind him and opened his mouth to voice his thoughts before he saw who belonged to the voice and his eyes went wide.
Behind him stood Hikari Horaki, the class rep with her hands on her hips and a frown on her pretty face. Touji stuttered incoherently before finally managing to get his tongue under control and replying in his native language.
"Hikari! I didn't see you there... " he started lamely as her gaze bored into him. Her look silenced whatever else he was going to say and she quickly strode over to him and grabbed his ear twisting it painfully until his head was at her level. Touji cried out in pain and Kensuke burst out laughing whilst Shinji couldn't help but smile at his friend's predicament.
"What were you saying Suzahara?" she asked in her 'class rep' voice which made Touji squirm. He pleaded with Shinji and Kensuke with his eyes but he saw that he was going to get no help from either of them. Taking a deep breath he decided to take a gamble...
"Well Shinji just told us that Misato is having a party tonight and I was wondering if you wanted to come along?" he asked in his most convincing voice and the most genuine smile he could muster given the present circumstances. The reaction wasn't quite what he expected.
"Really? You want me to come along?" she asked with a bright smile lighting up her face.
"Yeah, definitely" Touji replied gaining in confidence. Much to his relief she released his now red and aching ear and he retreated a couple of steps so that she couldn't easily reacquire it. - Go to a party with Touji?! This is too good to be true! -She thought as she looked at the boy holding his ear.
"Sorry about the ear Tou- Suzahara. I thought you were saying something inappropriate." She cursed herself mentally for her near slip up but felt sure that no one had noticed.
"Who me?" he asked innocently. She narrowed her eyes at him and he involuntarily took another step back, his innocent smile replaced with a cautious look. He was ready to flee if need be... Seeing his expression change, Hikari lightened her own expression and turned to Shinji.
"So what time is this party Shinji?" she asked sweetly.
"Seven o'clock tonight. There will be a few people from NERV there too but they are all good people so it should be a good night" he offered. Hikari didn't care who was going so long as Touji would be there.
"Great I'll be there!" she stated and turned to bid them farewell before she remembered the cover she was using to speak to Touji.
"Oh by the way, are you alright Shinji? You were absent for the past three days and as the class rep it's my job to look into these things." She noticed Shinji tense at the mention of his absence and he didn't meet her gaze when he finally replied.
"I was held back at NERV after the battle to make sure that I was o.k. It's nothing major and I'm fine...really" he hated lying and that was probably why he was so bad at it. At least it was the same lie I told Touji and Kensuke he thought as he finally raised his eyes to meet Hikari's. He knew by her expression that she didn't believe him, but like Touji she understood the situation.
"O.k. then. Thanks for telling me. I guess I'll see you all tonight. Bye" she said cheerfully before making her way back over to her friends. She was almost floating the whole way back and found herself at odds when asked to explain what she was so happy about.
* * * * *
The rest of the school day passed by uneventfully and a relieved sigh was heard from most of the class when the final bell sounded.
"Everyone Rise. Bow. Dismissed" chanted Hikari and as the teacher strolled out everyone quickly grabbed their things and made their way to the exit. Shinji took his time on the way home as he wasn't particularly looking forward to being greeted by an empty apartment. He stopped off at the same park he paused at on the way to school and was surprised to see some young kids playing there. He couldn't help but smile slightly at the antics of the little ones. They were having the time of their life, chasing each other around whilst laughing and screaming. Their parents were sitting on a bench watching them with loving eyes, an expression which Shinji couldn't remember ever being directed at him.
The children continued on with their game completely ignorant of the larger issues and the fact that the future of mankind was looking bleak. His smile vanished as the darker thoughts once again entered his mind and he found that he could no longer stand the sight. Everything rested on his and Rei's shoulders, if they failed then the whole human race would suffer because of it. Then to top it all off even when he did save humanity he was punished for it. Is this my fate? To fight for those who don't give a damn about me? He frowned and bowed his head in defeat. It seemed that whenever he was by himself of late his thoughts always turned unerringly to his most painful experience to date. He stopped considering this fact. The party wasn't going to start until seven o'clock tonight and Misato wouldn't be home until six o'clock. That meant he'd have to spend two and a half hours on his own with only his thoughts.
Whilst the thought wasn't very pleasant, he felt that he didn't have much choice in the matter as there wasn't much point in going to his friends places when they were going to be coming around tonight. He still had his S-DAT and it never failed to put him in a good mood. Cheering up slightly he made the rest of the trip home without a single dark thought and quickly fixed himself a snack before heading to his room.
As he was reaching for electronic salvation (his S-DAT) he noticed his cello sitting in the corner where it had been since he moved in. He considered the instrument and remembered how his teacher said that he had a natural gift for playing. With plenty of time to kill and nothing overly important to be done he took the instrument out of its case and sat on a chair to tune it. It was a very high quality instrument as apparently his father had gifted his guardian with a decent amount of funds, not that Shinji had desired much. He looked at its flawless surface intently before finally setting himself up to play.
After quite a few minutes of tuning the instrument by ear he was finally satisfied and closed his eyes whilst he positioned the bow against the strings. He had several books which contained solo pieces, but he always found it more satisfying when he just played it by ear so to speak. He let his mind wander and his arm sent the bow gently across the strings as if it were possessed.
The piece started slowly at first with long deep notes echoing through the apartment to match his melancholic state but before long his mood started to pick up and the music did likewise. Shorter, higher pitched notes contrasted with the lower notes and soon the volume also picked up. The bow moved like lightning across the strings in a rapid up beat melody which continually raised and dropped entire octaves as he let the music flow as if it had a will of its own. Eventually the melody hit its climax and began to fall before gently slowing to a crawl and finishing with a long satisfying note.
Shinji realised that he was breathing rather heavily not to mention sweating profusely and was startled when he looked at the clock to find it reading four thirty. He had been playing for about an hour, but it seemed like only minutes to him. After he slowed his breathing he put the instrument away and headed to the bathroom to take a long soak in the bath. Maybe this time he would be able to escape those bad memories that always found him in the bath.
* * * * *
"I'm home!" Misato yelled as she opened the door and stumbled inside. Hearing no response she frowned thoughtfully before struggling forward with bag upon bag of supplies for the party due to start in half an hour. Finally reaching the kitchen she dumped the bags and looked around in an attempt to find her young roommate. Seeing that he wasn't in the kitchen or lounge room and that the bathroom door was open, she surmised that he must be in his room.
Panting slightly from the exertion of carrying so much stuff (when Misato shops she really shops!) she glided over to Shinji's door and knocked lightly.
"Shinji you in here?" She heard some shuffling followed by a mumbled 'yeah' and she inched the door open and poked her head through. Shinji was lying on his bed with his S-DAT and staring at the ceiling. Studying him carefully for a couple of moments she was relieved to see that he didn't seem depressed and so since they didn't have much time to spare she thought that they should start preparing.
"You wanna give me a hand preparing this place or are you just gonna lie there all night?" she teased jovially with a playful smile. He turned to look at her and realised at glimpsing her expression that she was just teasing.
"You're late" he said much to her surprise as he made his way into a sitting position. Taken aback by the abrupt change in subject she took a second to compose herself.
"Yeah well I had to get a few extra things from the store and the line up was unbelievable!" she said with an exasperated expression. Shinji smiled slightly and rose to his feet. Misato retreated from the doorway and the two of them made their way to the kitchen.
"Could you start putting this stuff away whilst I take a bath? I'll help you set out everything else when I'm finished K?" she asked over her shoulder as she headed to her room.
"Yeah sure" he said and started putting everything away. He had no idea what exactly Misato had planned but there was enough food here to feed an army, and enough alcohol to satisfy the entire staff of NERV... He was so busy with his work that he didn't notice the figure sneaking up behind him until it voiced its presence.
"Waaark!"
Shinji jumped and spun around to confront the penguin, his mind recalling the events this morning and he subconsciously looked at his foot. Looking back at PenPen, he didn't detect the hostility from this morning and relaxed slightly.
"What was wrong with you this morning?" he asked whilst he grabbed a tin of fish from the fridge. Once he turned around he heard PenPen give a loud 'Waaark!' before gesturing at Misato's door and then opening his mouth and pointing at it with one flipper. Shinji grimaced as he realised the problem.
"You were angry at me for leaving Misato to prepare your meals" he stated with a solemn nod. The penguin nodded emphatically and waited whilst Shinji set out the fish and beer.
"I'm sorry about that...It's not as if I had a choice in the matter" he mused bitterly. The penguin cocked his head to the side and studied him carefully before coming over and wrapping it's flippers around his leg. Shinji stooped down and picked up the large waterbird and gave it a gentle hug.
"Thanks PenPen. I'm sorry for leaving you to the horror of Misato's cooking and I'll try to be around so that it won't happen again" he stated solemnly. If PenPen could have smiled he would have, but since he was just a penguin he simply nodded his approval before Shinji set him down to devour his meal. PenPen didn't waste any time in getting stuck in and Shinji found himself watching the avian with interest. Even he cares for me. So why can't my own father give a damn?
Knowing not the answer he finished putting things away and collapsed on the couch to wait for the guests to arrive. He subconsciously noted when Misato came out to set everything up and it wasn't until the doorbell rang that he was jolted out of his musings.
"Could you get that please?" she asked from the kitchen. He acknowledged his roommate and tenderly struggled from the comfort of the couch and made his way to the door.
"Hi Ayanami" he said with a smile as he noticed who was standing on the other side of the door. Rei stood before him dressed in her school uniform with her hands clasped before her. Excluding her plug suit, Shinji had never seen her wear anything aside from the said uniform, though it seemed to fit her perfectly he thought. It clung to her lithe body gently and seemed to lend a certain innocence to her. That thought instantly vanished when one looked into her hard red eyes though.
"Good evening Ikari." The two stood there for several moments before Shinji realised he was staring and lowered his head to hide his blush. He stepped back and gestured for her to come in. She quietly entered the apartment and waited for Shinji to lead her into the living room which he did.
"Ayanami's here" he called out to Misato as he gestured for her to take a seat.
"Hey Rei, right on time" what a surprise... she mused to herself as she came out of the kitchen to greet her guest in person. Entering the living room she found the two teens sitting on separate chairs in silence.
"So..." she began "How's school going Rei?" The blue haired girl turned her attention to Misato and no matter how many times she was exposed to that crimson gaze she still didn't feel comfortable. She felt like Rei was looking into her very core and seeing everything she had ever done. Misato had done a lot of bad things in her time and she didn't feel comfortable with the thought that someone could see them... even though the idea was absurd.
"I am currently in the top 1% of the class with regards to my academic study. I am also at the top of my swimming class" she replied coolly.
"That's great, but are you enjoying it?" she asked somewhat dismayed by Rei's analytical response.
"I do not understand the relevance of the question" she said in some confusion.
"Never mind..." Misato mumbled disheartened by the turn of the conversation.
"Would you like a drink or something to eat Ayanami?" Shinji asked sensing the end of the conversation.
"I would like a glass of water."
"Sure thing" Shinji said and headed into the kitchen to conform to Rei's request. After he returned with the water a heavy silence settled over the apartment as Misato left to finish preparing and the two children were left on their own. Shinji's mind ticked over furiously in an effort to start a conversation but he couldn't find anything that he wanted to talk about. At least nothing that he and Rei would talk about...
Thankfully the silence was eventually interrupted by the doorbell and Shinji jumped to his feet to get it. Opening the door he was confronted by the smiling face of the class rep Hikari Horaki.
"Hi Shinji!" she greeted cheerfully and Shinji took a few moments to reply. He always thought that Hikari was quite pretty, but to see her outside of school and in her casual clothes rather than a school uniform made her look even more so. She still wore her hair in the omnipresent twin pigtails and her modest pale green sundress clung loosely to her small frame dropping to knee level. Finally reigning in his surprise he smiled and found his voice.
"Hello class rep. I'm glad you could make it."
"Oh come on, we're not in school so please call me Hikari" she told him.
"Ah, s-sure, Hikari. Why don't you come on in? It's just you Misato and Ayanami at the moment but I'm sure that the others will show up soon." Her smile slipped fractionally at the news but Shinji didn't think much of it as he stood aside and let her into the apartment. Hikari's presence sparked some conversation as she chatted away with Misato and tried to get Shinji and Rei in on the conversation with limited success. The four sat together and exchanged idle banter for several minutes before the next guest arrived.
Again it was Shinji who greeted them as he quickly realised that Misato wasn't going to be moving any time soon with the six pack of beer cans she surrounded herself with, despite the underage company. Sighing at her antics he opened the door to be greeted by the aptly named 'idiot duo.' The two boys greeted Shinji and pushed past him in their eagerness to greet Misato. Again Shinji sighed and was just about to close the door when he spied Makato strolling down the corridor and waited for the older man to approach.
"Good evening Shinji. How have you been?" he asked courteously.
"Fine thanks. How about you?"
"Oh fine, fine. Another day another pay check and all that..." he said with a smile.
"Come on in, I'm sure Misato will be happy for some adult company." Hyuga's smile widened slightly and he stepped past Shinji and into the living room. Shinji followed a few moments later after checking to see if anyone else was approaching. Since they were the only tenants in this apartment block it was safe to assume that anyone approaching was going to be here for the party.
Upon returning to the living room he found his latest guests being greeted and moving to seat themselves. Shinji fixed up the drinks for the newcomers and moved back into the kitchen to retrieve some snacks.
"Why is Shinji doing all the work? Isn't this party for him?" asked Hikari whilst staring at Misato with an eyebrow arched.
"Well uh...he's doing such a good job...and he likes it. Besides it helps take his mind off things..." she commented after which she quickly raised her can of beer to her lips in order to avoid Hikari's glare.
"That's just not right!" she stated and rose from her position to head into the kitchen to assist Shinji. The others merely stared at each other and shrugged their shoulders before returning to their conversation.
"Need a hand?" she asked once she had entered the kitchen. Shinji turned around and offered her a half smile.
"Well...it's not really necessary; you're a guest so you shouldn't have to do any work..." Hikari frowned at his response.
"Well this party is in your honour, so it's not right for you to do the work either. Why don't we both do a little therefore neither of us has to do too much?" Shinji hesitated trying to make sense of her comment before simply nodding in agreement. Hikari's response was a satisfied smile and she went to work besides Shinji to prepare the snacks which Misato had neglected to do before.
The two brought in several plates of crackers, cheese, chocolates and the like, and watched as everyone greedily dug into the offered food. Conversation was momentarily put on hold as the desire to eat was greater than that of speaking and the only sounds to be heard for the next moments were those of food being consumed. Soon enough the conversation resumed and everyone relaxed, that was until they were interrupted by the doorbell yet again.
"Shinji..." Misato trailed off as she looked at him with pleading eyes and batted her eyebrows at him. Touji and Kensuke stared open-mouthed at the display but Shinji just sighed, nodded and rose to meet the guests.
"Thanks Shinji" she called out after him. He opened the front door and was met by the remaining three invited guests. Shigeru Aoba stood on the left with a duffle bag filled with something Shinji couldn't see in his hands and he bowed slightly at Shinji. Maya Ibuki and Ritsuko Akagi both stood in the corridor dressed in their work clothes and they explained that they had come straight from work and didn't have time to change.
Shinji stood to the side after greeting them all and they proceeded inside. Ritsuko walked straight past Shinji and immediately grabbed one of Misato's beers before collapsing into a chair and gulping down the amber liquid. Maya flashed Shinji a warm smile before she too entered and sat down next to Ritsuko, though she made no effort to grab a drink. Shigeru winked at Shinji before opening the bag for his inspection.
"Can't have a party without music now can you?" he asked with a grin. Inside the bag were CD upon CD, none of which Shinji recognised.
"I guess not..." he said in reply.
"You do have a CD player don't you?" he asked as he closed up the bag.
"Yeah sure" Shinji replied as he led Shigeru through to the living room and showed him to the device. Shigeru wasted no time in extracting the CDs from the bag and laying them all out on the floor.
"What type of music are you into Shinji?" he asked as he perused the selection before him.
"Uh...well...mostly classical. I haven't really listened to anything else..."
"You should broaden your horizons. I don't have any classical with me, though..." he trailed off as he dug through the CDs before finding the one he was looking for. Shinji didn't get a chance to see the cover before Shigeru inserted it in the player and waited for it to read.
"This is a combination of an old heavy metal band I like and a classical symphony. It's a bit different to what you listen to but it's the closest I've got. Who knows, you may just like it..." Shinji arched an eyebrow in response but didn't make any comment. He didn't know what heavy metal was, though he didn't think that he would like it but he would wait until he heard it before making any judgements. Aoba took the cover out from the front of the case and gave it to Shinji.
"The lyrics are in English but here is a translation so you can understand what the words are."
"Uh, thanks" he said as he began to peruse the small booklet. Within a couple of seconds the music kicked in and Aoba left to get himself a drink. Shinji was surprised when the first two tracks turned out to be instrumentals. The first was a short one in which only the symphony played but the second was much longer and the band which he read was called Metallica joined in. He was even more surprised to find that he quite liked the music.
He was so engrossed in the music and reading the lyrics that he lost all sense of time. Everyone else seemed to be enjoying themselves as well and no one noticed Shinji's absence, except for one person. She was observing the way in which everyone was interacting and making mental notes for future reference.
All of the adults except for Maya were drinking prolific amounts of alcohol and the more they drank the louder and less coherent they seemed to become. Their conversations also deteriorated as their inhibitions were lost and there was much abuse directed at Gendo Ikari. Only a few days earlier Rei would have been insulted by the lack of respect shown to the Commander, but now she felt that some of it was justified. She didn't agree with some of the comments but she wouldn't report it.
Hikari was chatting away with Maya and sneaking looks at Touji all night. She tried talking to him several times though they both seemed very awkward around each other. Kensuke was filming everything that was happening and constantly interrogated the adults about NERV and the EVAs...with no success. Touji seemed content to eat everything that was within reach and stare openly at the beautiful women, much to Hikari's displeasure. Not wanting to make a big scene in front of everyone she contented herself with glaring at the oblivious boy and planning how she could 'reprimand' him afterwards.
Rei noticed that Shinji had been gone for quite a while and since no one else seemed to notice she decided to investigate. Rising to her feet she departed the room and found Shinji siting in front of the stereo reading a small booklet. She studied him in silence. He seemed to be quite relaxed as he listened to the music. His eyes never seemed to leave the booklet he was studying and she found herself oddly comforted by his contentment.
She studied him for several minutes before finally deciding to approach him. Shinji didn't notice her until she sat down beside him and looked at him intently. He looked back at her, enraptured by her beauty and completely lost for words. This seems to be the usual way we start a conversation... he thought sheepishly before opening his mouth to speak.
"Hi Ayanami, are you enjoying yourself?" Rei continued to stare at him for several moments before cocking her head slightly to the side and answering.
"I do not know what you mean" she finally answered as she turned to look at the stereo. Shinji was taken aback. He knew that Rei didn't have much experience with, well as Ritsuko called it 'living', but didn't everyone know what enjoyment was? He frowned thoughtfully as he considered how to rephrase the question.
"Do you feel...comfortable?" he ventured. She turned her gaze back to him and he found himself trapped by the intensity of her vermillion stare.
"I feel comfortable...with you" was her hesitant reply. Shinji's breath caught in his throat as the words left the soft spoken girl's mouth. She feels comfortable...with me? The two stared at each other for a very long time, one not willing to break the stare and the other unable to. They might have stayed that way all night were it not for a particularly loud interruption.
"What are you two doing?" inquired a slurred voice from the doorway. Both teens turned to find out who the drunken intruder was. Shinji wasn't at all surprised when he discovered Misato leaning heavily against the wall and staring at him with a 'know it all' smile. He had seen that expression enough times to understand what was about to come.
"I'm not interrupting anything am I?" she asked whilst staggering further into the room.
"N-no. We were just...talking" he said uneasily. Misato's expression didn't change and it made him feel even more uncomfortable.
"Oh suuuuuure you were just talking. That's why you were looking at each other so intently... You two were about to kiss weren't you?"
"N-no! We...we weren't go...going to..." he trailed off as an intense blush consumed him. Rei for her part just stared at Misato impassively. She wasn't sure what to make of Misato's comments but the thought of kissing Ikari was foreign to her. Rei knew enough about human interaction that people kiss when they are in a relationship but she and Ikari were in not currently in one. Although the idea of kissing Ikari didn't seem so...unpleasant... She cared deeply for Ikari and would willingly sacrifice her life for him but she hadn't previously thought of getting close to him in that way. This was yet another thing she would have to give great consideration to. Hearing Shinji stuttering away almost incoherently, she decided to interject.
"I assure you that we were not about to engage in such an activity" she said matter-of-factly. Shinji stopped his stuttering and looked at her with a mixture of relief and...disappointment? Misato found her train of thought derailed by the statement and with her mind fogged by excessive amounts of alcohol she couldn't come up with a witty retort. Deciding that there was plenty of time later to finish this, she grabbed yet another armful of cans and headed back to join the others.
Shinji and Rei meanwhile continued to stare at each other. Rei thought that she could see a trace of hurt in Shinji's eyes and she was most unsettled.
"Are you o.k. Ikari?"
"Yeah...I...I'm fine" he said as he looked back to the pile of CDs in front of him. She sat in silence as he went through the large number of CDs and not being experienced in the art of comforting someone decided it would be best to depart.
"I shall take my leave now Ikari" she said as she rose to her feet. Shinji looked up at her in surprise.
"You're going?"
"Yes. I have to be at headquarters early tomorrow morning and I will require sleep before then."
"I...I see. Well...thanks for coming Ayanami."
"It was not a problem" she said, and with that she exited the room and proceeded to leave the apartment. Shinji stared after her, lost in thought. - What did she mean by that? Does she see me as just pilot Ikari? What do I feel for her? - Sensing that he wouldn't find the answer anytime soon he returned his attention to the music and focused on the lyrics in an effort to take his mind off the enigma that was Rei Ayanami. After changing to the second CD he decided to rejoin the others and inquire to Aoba about other music he may recommend.
The rest of the night passed by rather uneventfully. As the clock struck 11:00, everyone decided that it was time to leave, after all, some people had school tomorrow and the rest had work to attend. Shinji and Misato stood at the door as the guests filed out, one by one. Hyuga was the first to leave and he bid Misato and Shinji a good evening as he headed to the elevator.
Maya and Ritsuko were the next to leave, Ritsuko being supported heavily by Maya as she was too drunk to stand up on her own. Poor Maya was struggling desperately with the almost dead weight of her mentor and she was relieved when Aoba came to her rescue.
"I'll trade you" he said as he held out his duffle bag to Maya who gratefully accepted and let Shigeru carry Ritsuko to the elevator after he said his farewells. Maya turned to the pair at the door and bowed respectfully.
"Thankyou for your hospitality, I had a really good time" she said with a genuine smile. The pair smiled back in reply.
"It's no problem, I'm just glad to have my Shinji back and since everyone here appreciates him as well, it was only fitting to have a party to honour our hero" she said as she pulled him into a hug. Shinji smiled at the warm words of appreciation and he caught the jealous glares of his two best friends out of the corner of hie eye. Not to be outdone Maya stepped forward and embraced Shinji after Misato finished and placed a peck on his cheek. Shinji blushed at the extra attention and was aware that his friends now stared at him with open-mouthed shock. Even Misato looked rather surprised at the technician's action.
"I'll see you all later then" she said as she turned on her heel and hurried to catch up with the other two whom she was responsible for taking home. Hikari was the next to step out of the door and she gave Shinji a funny look before thanking them both for inviting her. Touji slapped Shinji heavily on the back as he strolled past and both he and Kensuke gave him big grins and a look to say that there would be a discussion about this tomorrow...
"Way to go Ikari" they both said before bowing deeply to Misato. "We had a great time Misato. Thankyou for inviting us" they chimed in unison. Misato just smiled playfully and in her most sensual voice said that it wasn't a problem. Shinji shook his head at their love struck gazes but Hikari felt that something more physical was required. Stepping forward she grabbed Touji's ear and twisted it, much like she had done earlier in the day. Again he cried out in pain as he was dragged down mere inches from Hikari's face.
"I think it's time to leave don't you Mr Suzahara?" she asked in a no-nonsense tone.
"Ah yeah, sure..." he squeaked as the pressure increased due to his hesitation. Letting out a satisfied 'humph' she released his ear and stood back. Completely oblivious to the others around her she clasped her hands in front of her and put her most innocent expression as she stared at her crush.
"Are you going to walk me home Suzahara? There are a lot of unsavoury types out there and I would feel much safer if you were by my side..." Touji just stared at her dumbfounded.
"Well...I...ah...I really have to be..." his sentence was cut off as he received a blow to the head from behind. He cried out before turning around to see Kensuke with a severe expression and shaking his head. Narrowing his eyes he mouthed what he was going to do to Kensuke later and smirked as the smaller boy paled. Achieving the desired result he turned back to Hikari who was waiting patiently for his response.
"Ah...ah, sure class rep. After all, it isn't proper for a girl to wander the streets at night by herself." He was rewarded with a glamorous smile and he couldn't help but notice how attractive Hikari was. He sure wasn't against walking her home...he was just worried that the other two might find out about his feelings for the girl. The two said their final goodbyes and departed together leaving the remaining three behind shaking their heads.
"I don't believe that guy. Why doesn't he just own up and tell her how he feels?" Kensuke wondered out loud.
"I guess he thinks that we don't know how he feels." Shinji interjected.
"Yeah probably. Oh well...I guess it's my cue to leave. I'll seeya tomorrow hey Shinji?"
"Yeah, for sure" he replied. Kensuke bowed deeply to Misato and thanked her once again before leaving the apartment complex. With all the visitors gone the two residents stepped back inside and sealed the door.
"Was this a good idea or what?" asked a thoroughly satisfied (and drunk) Misato.
"Yeah, everyone seemed to have a good time."
"Well, I'm beat and you have school tomorrow. Let's leave the cleanup until the morning so we can both get some rest, what do ya say?" Too tired to argue Shinji just nodded his head and the two flicked the lights off before retreating to their respective rooms for a well deserved rest.
Author's Notes: Well not much action in this chapter but plenty of character building (or at least I hope it come out that way.) It turned out longer than I had intended and whilst I re-wrote the party scene several times I just couldn't seem to make it the way I really wanted it so I just left it as it is now. Hell the damn scene has more than 4300 words but I couldn't seem to cut it down without losing anything important and keeping continuity.
The scenes with Maya may seem a little OOC for her but she is one of the kindest characters in the series and so I can see her feeling for Shinji and wanting to be kind to him. Hell I've read a couple of Shinji/Maya fics and so in comparison I don't think I've done anything too outlandish with her.
And yes I am a massive Metallica fan so expect more of their music later in the story!
Well that's about it for this chapter. Chapter 3 has been written already and will be uploaded by the end of the week but I haven't worked out chapter 4 yet... Hopefully inspiration will strike me like it has done for the previous chapters and it'll be out without too much delay. Stay tuned and I will try not disappoint, I promise more EVA action in the next instalment!
Ezstarius.