Disclaimer: see chapter 1.

Uncommon Law

By Random1377

Chapter 8

Misato lounged against the wall of the pribnow box, half listening to the synch test procedures and chewing thoughtfully on one of her knuckles. She was not anxious, per se, simply distracted, and it did not go unnoticed.

"Trouble in paradise?"

Looking up as Ritsuko sauntered up to her, Misato shook her head. "Nah," she said lightly, "just trying to think up new ways to make my husband blush."

Ritsuko nodded. "It is getting a bit tougher," she admitted. "Today I 'accidentally' bumped into him with my chest… kid didn't even bat an eyelash."

Misato's eyes narrowed. "You've gotten pretty comfortable hitting on him," she observed coolly, "maybe you want to come stay with us for six months or so, hmm?"

"It's all in good fun," Ritsuko said casually, "for me, anyway."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Shrugging, Ritsuko said, "Oh, nothing, nothing…"

"Grr," Misato growled, "just spit it out!"

Ritsuko grinned broadly. "Wellll," she said slowly, "I've just noticed a few things lately, that's all."

Don't do it, Misato's mind recommended, don't take the bait – it's a trap! RUN!

In spite of this (rather sensible) advice, she still found herself saying, "And what, exactly, have you noticed?"

Ritsuko's voice practically screamed with triumph as she said, "Nothing big, really… I've just noticed how whenever you walk into the room, Shinji's watching you, and the way you say the word husband now, and how you never have him take the bus home anymore, and how he doesn't slouch as much as he used to – little things like that."

Fumbling for a witty reply, Misato barely managed to bumble out, "So what's your point?"

Her long-time friend looked very smug as she replied, "Just observations, Misato, just observations." She turned away, smiling wolfishly as she whispered, "But from now on I think I'll leave the nosebleeds and whatnot to you… I wouldn't want to piss on your fire hydrant."

"I heard that!" Misato growled.

"…I know."

Conceding defeat for the moment, Misato changed the subject. "Has Shinji been here all day?" she wondered. "His teacher called and said something about him leaving early. I couldn't really hear him properly because there was some kind of argument going on in the background – kinda sounded like a brawl, really, but when I asked him about it, he said it was just a misunderstanding between a couple of students over a name, or something."

Risuko glanced up at the synch scores for a moment before replying, "Yeah, he came in with Rei around one thirty or so and they just hung out alone in the cafeteria the whole day."

"What?" Misato gasped. "Shinji and… Rei? Just the two of them? By themselves?"

"That is what alone means in this context," Ritsuko pointed out dryly, "what's wrong with that? You scared Rei might be moving in on your turf?"

And we're back to that again, Misato thought darkly.

To Ritsuko, she sweetly replied, "If all they were doing was talking, that's fine. The way I figure it, it doesn't matter where he gets his appetite, as long as he eats at home… if you catch my meaning."

Ritsuko rolled her eyes. "I always catch your meaning, Misato," she pointed out, "it's not like you're subtle or anything… but they weren't talking."

In spite of herself, Misato bristled. "Oh?" she said calmly, "What were they doing?"

"Just sitting there, really."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"O…k…"

Folding her arms over her chest, Ritsuko met the other woman's gaze. "I think they tried to have a conversation," she said seriously, "but with those two… I can only imagine they failed."

Misato tried to picture Shinji and Rei having a deep, philosophical conversation about life and love… but her mind could not even form a solid image of that scenario. "So they just sat there, saying nothing? Why?"

Looking back up to the screen with the Children's faces on it, Ritsuko contemplated her answer for well over a minute before softly whispering, "Because saying nothing with someone else is better than saying nothing alone, I guess…"

( 0 0 0 )

Shinji was back on Asuka's 'bad list.' Not that he had ever really left it, of course, but after saving Rei from the redhead's wrath four days prior, he had gotten nothing but cold shoulder from his reluctant spouse. Misato, too, had been a bit more awkward around him since the synch test that day, leaving Shinji to wonder if maybe the two had agreed to be mean to him for some reason.

Nah, he thought on Thursday afternoon, slowly closing his homework and standing up to stretch his back, Misato would want to help me, not Asuka.

He was not sure how he knew this, but he was pretty sure it was true.

Rei, also, had not spoken to him much since their conversation in the hallway at school, though her comments on his perceived strength still echoed in his mind.

Me… strong, he mused, rising to his feet and heading into the living room to see what Misato and Asuka were doing. Sorry, Ayanami… I don't see it…

He lifted his hand in greeting, but upon seeing him, Asuka's eyes narrowed, silencing him in an instant. Keeping her glare fixed on him, she gathered up the books she had been studying (some old, dusty looking texts) and 'humphed' off to her room, holding her nose high in the air and nearly running into her own doorframe.

"Oh, hi darling," Misato said, looking up from the television for a moment, "you gonna keep me company? Got a seat all laid out for you – and it's nice and warm, too."

Shinji was going to point out that the woman was sprawled out on the couch, leaving no room for him to sit, but again, he was cut off as Misato patted her lap suggestively, giving him a playful 'How about here?' kind of look. When he blushed, Misato laughed and sat up on the couch, pointing to the spot next to her as she scooped up the remote and flipped through the channels.

She was right, he thought as he sat down beside her, is IS warm… For a while, he stared down at his lap, pondering his situation. What does strong mean, anyway, he mused, stealing a glance at Misato before quickly looking away. Does it mean that I'm not afraid of anything? No, that's courage… not the same thing.

"Want some popcorn?" Misato asked, finally settling on a sitcom.

"No, thanks," Shinji said containing a shiver as Misato reached out and idly played with his hair.

Strong, he thought, closing his eyes and enjoying the feel of her fingers lazily brushing through his hair, I'm strong and hard, huh? Slowly, he opened his eyes, studying Misato's face closely as she laughed at something on television. Am I…?

"What?" Misato smiled, turning to face him as he continued to stare at her. "What's on your mind, darling?"

Slowly, Shinji shook his head.

Strong… is this what it means to be strong…?

Tentatively, he leaned forward, watching for any sign that he was doing the wrong thing, and carefully brushed his lips against hers.

"What are you doing?" Misato whispered, her smile falling away as Shinji gave her another hesitant kiss.

"I don't know…"

Misato tipped her head to the side, putting a hand lightly on Shinji's chest as he leaned in once more, but making no move to dissuade him.

"You should stop," she whispered, closing her eyes as Shinji's lips barely grazed her own, "really, Shinji…"

"…ok."

Softly, he covered her mouth, keeping her from saying anything more by giving her a deep, careful kiss. When they parted, Shinji rose (a bit unsteadily) to his feet, looking down at her with an uncertain, slightly fearful expression on his face, as if worried that she was on the verge of screaming at him for thinking she would ever let him do that to her without a fight.

Misato put her elbow on the arm of the couch and rested her chin in her palm, staring at the wall as Shinji cleared his throat several times before finally slipping out of the room. After he had gone, she pressed two fingers lightly against her wrist, watching the second hand on the hallway clock swing around in a slow circle and counting the number of beats her heart made in a minute.

"Hmm."

Standing up, she pushed her hair back off of her face and tied it in a simple ponytail. Then, without a single word, she walked out of the apartment and into the warm evening air.

She had a very important meeting to keep with an old friend.

Continued…

Author's note: a little shorter and a little more serious than the last chapter, but look at all that WAFF!

Hawk pre-read and said, "OMFG! Misato, Asuka, Shinji, married… THREESOME!" Wow, and I thought I was a perv…