Guess what? It's time for a plot hole! Yay! Because I'm a muse and thus all-powerful, I get to make a huge plot hole right in the middle of an important event! Yay! So, everybody pretend that for some reason, the people at NERV now trust Ariline, Samantha and Dai-syo. Alright?

To make up for the plot hole, though, today's chapter will be special:

Fourth Impact, Layra's Spastic Sugar-High Sunshine remix!

Cue: music, lights

Disclaimer: I don't own Eva. I do own Layra's Spastic Sugar-High Industries, though.

Fourth Impact

Chapter 52: Cowardice and Ignorance

Adamu walked into the classroom, eliciting stares from his classmates. They didn't remember him, and he had changed. The loss of his real arm and the battle scars that still hadn't healed gave him a very rakish, dangerous look. He still had the same tough physique and wild hair, and the combination was incredible. Needless to say, the girls were lost.

"Hello, there." One of them sidled up to him. "What's your name?" she asked flirtatiously. He stared at her confusedly. Another girl came up on his other side, fluttering her lashes at him. He held out his hand to ward them off.

That was when Misato entered. "What?" she screeched. She ran up to him and grabbed his hand, yanking it away from the girls and clutching it possessively. "Mine!" she shouted at everyone, with no regard for Adamu's sensitive hearing. "Mine! He's mine! Stay away or I'll kill you!"

He cringed away from her shrieking, and put his free hand to her lips to silence her. "Misa-chan, please, not so early in the morning." She stopped, still holding his hand between hers, and smiled at him.

"Sorry." She mumbled, beginning to walk toward her seat.

"Can I have my hand back?" he asked. She giggled, tempted to deny him, but in the end let go. In return for screaming in his ear she leaned over and kissed him in front of everyone. He returned the kiss with passion, to let everybody know that he wasn't available, among other reasons.

"Now that you've had your little demonstration," said a lazy, smirking voice, "can I get you to give each other some air so that we can get to our most important lessons?"

Misa broke the kiss for long enough to stick her tongue out at Takoru, then clamped her lips back onto Adamu's. He finally pulled back when he heard his sister's giggling and guided her to their seats.

Their teacher strode in, blinking at the students. "Stand, bow, sit." Ordered Takoru. Then the teacher sat down at his desk and started taking attendance.

When he got to Misato's name, instead of saying present she announced, "It's not Ikari Misato anymore. My name is now Nagisa Misato." She flashed her ring for the class to see. A chorus of 'oohs' came from around her. She blushed and sat down.

The teacher took no note of any of this and simply marked her present.

After school…

Thump!

"Ask her, you idiot!" Misato screamed, glaring at Takoru. He rubbed his head and tried to stand up, but she knocked him down. "She's still scared that you'll leave her, you know."

"Why can't she do it, then?" he asked plaintively. "I'm still not sure that she's willing to commit to me of all people."

"Because she's too scared, stupid." She kicked him lightly in the ribs. "She's scared that if she did, you'd reject her."

"So what can I do?" he asked, dodging a slap. He jumped to his feet, but was caught by the backhand slap.

Misato glared at him, really glared at him. He felt his defenses begin to melt beneath her wrath. "You idiot. Buy a ring, get down on your sorry knees and beg her to marry you. And do it soon, her birthday's coming up."

Thump!

"Ask him, you idiot!" Adamu told his sister, who sat on the ground rubbing her head. "He still doesn't think you want him."

"Why can't he ask me then?" she asked. "I mean, he might not want me after all."

"Because he's too stupid, you coward." He scowled at her. "He's too stupid to understand that a verbal promise isn't enough."

"So what can I do?" she asked, averting her gaze from him. She slid to her feet, but he tripped her.

Adamu glared at her, really glared at her. She felt herself shrink away from his angry gaze. "You coward. Buy a ring, go up to him and beg him to marry you. And do it soon, our birthday's coming up. And I know you'll want to have him legally."

Takoru slid into the jewelry shop, glancing around. His fingers drummed against his wallet as he looked about. Then he saw it, the perfect ring. A huge pale sapphire in a white-silver band. And a glance at the tag showed that it wasn't out of his reach!

He quickly bought it and slipped it and its box into his pocket, scurrying home with the broadest smile on his face.

Love is a catchy tune

I find myself humming it wherever I go

I want to stand on top of the world

And sing it at the top of my lungs,

But then people would look at me funny

So I only sing it in private for the most part.

Lilliko jumped as footsteps came up behind her. She spun to see her brother looking at her with a raised eyebrow. "What?" she demanded. He slowly began to smile at her. "All right, all right, so I'm nervous. I just don't want him finding out." She told him. "I mean, if he rejects me before I get my courage up…"

"Don't worry. He loves you more than life itself. But if he does catch you, I guess that would ruin the moment."

"Well then, go away before you attract any more attention!"

Love is a beautiful song With lyrics to melt the hardest heart

Though sometimes the words can be

Hard to read and embarrassing to say.

I can't tell you how red my face became

The first time I sang it out loud.

They were in the park, the three families, enjoying their reunion. Touji and Asuka were bickering as usual, and Hikari was being distracted by Kaoru's recounting of her son's deeds.

"But of course, your son wasn't worried in the least. He went up and slashed right through the arm, saving my Lilli-chan from being pounded by the rogue Eva…"

None of the adults noticed that Takoru and Lilliko had been glancing nervously at one another throughout the entire picnic, each keeping one hand in a pocket. (An: This will be interesting. Yay gender equality!)

Misato started to snicker. For all the pranks that they had played on her and Adamu, this would even the score a bit.

"Is something funny?" her mother asked. She just giggled and shook her head.

"Just remembering, mother."

And sometimes the lyrics are sad And the music discordant

Hard to listen to, hard to bear.

Some people stop singing,

Stop listening,

And never listen again.

Takoru and Liliko's eyes met, and they both glanced away blushing furiously. Kaoru noted this. "Lilli-chan, Takoru-kun, why are you acting so shy?"

What if I get rejected? Thought two people simultaneously. But next to each sat someone they trusted and whispered to them, "Don't worry. You won't be rejected."

Takoru then cleared his throat, causing Lilliko to flinch. She shot to her feet, startling everyone. Takoru got up and walked over to her and began to pull his hand out of his pocket at the same time as Lilliko. They reached out in unison and linked hands, each too distracted to notice the box in the other's hand.

But then the beat picks up

And it makes people want to dance

And it only sounds better than before.

Though of course,

I'm told that I have no taste.

"Lilliko,"

"Takoru,"

"I almost lost you, and I need to know that you'll stay with me."

"Will you marry me?" they both asked at the same time, completely unaware up to that point that the other had been speaking.

Silence.

Click, Flash! Everyone spun to see Misato brandishing her camera. Well, everyone but the couple, who were still staring at each other. Suddenly Lilliko broke away. "Misato, you little fiend, you knew about this, didn't you?" She stormed toward the grinning girl, who was backing away slowly.

"Actually, it was my idea." She said, sticking her tongue out. "And now I have it all on film for godmother." She passed the camera to Adamu before Lilliko began chasing her in earnest. "Hey, at least he asked you, right?" That only elicited a growl from the blue-haired Angel. "Come on, it was funny! And really romantic!" Another growl. "Look, after all you two have done to me and Adamu-chan—" Lilliko tackled her, sending the two of them flying across the greens.

Meanwhile, Takoru remained frozen where he was, a ring box in each hand, staring blankly ahead.

"What just happened?" he asked.

Adamu bopped him on the head. "You just got engaged. Congratulations, you're an idiot."

AN: Talk about a self-ruining moment. What if they both said no? They didn't even respond to each other! Don't leave us hanging like this!

Unfortunately for those who wish for a sad, twisted ending, logical analysis shows that they have both accepted simply by asking one another. Oh well.

'Love is Catchy' is yet another song by Drey-chan. I think Drey-chan secretly pines to be a songwriter but is too much under my control to be one. Sigh, how sad.

Next up, however, is the twins' birthday, and I'll bet that you'll never guess what Lilliko and Takoru are getting for Adamu. You never will.

See ya, DJ Spastic Sugar-High signing out.