I do not own Evangelion. All characters and other affiliated materials are the property of Gainax.

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Shinji wrapped his towel around his waist and quickly shed his clothes in favor of his bathing suit. He could hear Asuka laugh audibly from the pool side where she was sliding off the straps of her shirt.

"Worried I might take a peek?"

Shinji finished tying the strings on his suit and set his towel on one of the hundreds of reclining beach chairs arranged around the pool.

"Trust is something you have to earn," he said in a flat tone. Asuka bobbed her head in silent agreement and slowly slid into the dark water, the small lights near the elevator door showing off her blue under things for a second before she disappeared underneath the glassy expanse.

Shinji walked over to the handrail and followed it down into the pool, the sensation of the cold sending goose bumps washing up his body. He shivered slightly when it hit his spine.

"It's easier if you just go in all at once," Asuka's voice emanating from somewhere farther into the deeps.

"Yah," Shinji murmured in half hearted agreement. It was ridiculously hot for this time of night anyway to not be in the pool, he thought to himself before deciding to take the plunge. The world went dark as the coolness invaded his chest and head and soon all of the noise of the world had disappeared. Shinji kicked his legs lightly under the water until he was away from the stairs and then let out some of the air from his lungs. When his back settled against the concrete of the pool's bottom he stopped and let the silence wash over him entirely. After a few moments his senses noticed ripples of force in the water and Shinji opened his eyes to the image of Asuka floating a few inches above his body, a solemn smile of knowing on her face. And as Shinji stared entranced at the floating image above him, his senses numbed by the shock of the cold and the depths of the quiet echoing nothingness all around him, it occurred to him that it wouldn't be so bad to die.

After a few more moments he watched as Asuka's silhouette began to obscure the darkness as she broke the surface for air. Shinji let the image of her fall away from his thoughts and slowly let his eyes close again until suddenly he felt himself being pulled upwards, his hands held firmly in the grip of his companions. As the former third child broke into the night he took a deep breathe before opening his eyes once more. As the world flowed back into vision he could see that Asuka held a look of deep concern on her once cheery visage.

Shinji looked downwards to avoid her eyes.

"Are you all right?" she asked, her earlier flirty tone now noticeably missing.

"I'm fine."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Excuse me?" Shinji chuckled awkwardly as he pulled his feet from the floor and let himself float freely upon the surface.

"I'm sorry."

"I said It's fine."

"I just thought. I don't know. You were down there for a long time."

"How odd."

"What's odd?"

"You never used to care what happened to me."

"Don't be a jerk Shinji."

"Were you worried I might not come back up?"

"Stop it."

"Were you, Asuka Langley Soryu, frightened for a moment that maybe your tight little outfits and double entendres might not make up for all the pain we've been through, huh?"

Shinji stopped floating and walked back towards were the startled red head stood standing in the pool.

"Get away from me."

Shinji placed his hand on top of her now shivering shoulders.

"Asuka..."

"Don't touch me," she said, arching her shoulders to try and shed his grip, which only caused him to tighten it.

"Asuka..."

He lowered his head to look her in the eyes.

"It's all right. We don't have to run anymore."

She let her eyes fall away from his as she watched him slowly sink downwards, back into the silence from which he had come and from which all things are born. And with those words spoken, the tears finally came, so long hidden from the world. Then, slowly, without regret and without remorse, she let the darkness fill her and let herself fall into the silence of the forgiven.