Man Alone Chapter 3 - In Sickness and In Health
Rei woke from her dreamless sleep and sat up in bed and gave herself a short moment to break from her daze brought on by her low blood pressure. After a few moments she rose from the sheets letting them fall aside without care. She approached the side table that held the glass of water and the multitude of pills she was required to take as administered by Dr Akagi and the Commander. She then took the time to dress in her school uniform and then took a piece of fruit from her refrigerator; she ate it as she left the dilapidated apartment complex. As she finished she discarded the remains and made her way to school.
An uneventful start to a normal day.
Mana woke languidly and shuffled a little deeper into her sheets before the morning light finally got to her. She pulled herself out of bed and dressed quickly before raiding the fridge for its contents to make herself a simple breakfast of toast and cereal. After satisfying her appetite she was on her way out of the house. She never liked to be there when her guardians were awake; their questions seemed to never stop, even after telling them the night before that she knew nothing they would ask her again in the morning as if she was able to divine information about NERV and Eva from her dreams. As much as she liked sleeping in, school was a far better alternative than the questions. She turned down the road heading towards the train station.
A fitful start to a normal day.
Hikari woke early as usual; she made lunch for everyone in the evening, but now was the time to make breakfast. She dressed herself quickly, having bathed the night before, and made her way to the kitchen. She began to cook quickly and efficiently, her father soon awake and reading the morning paper followed by Nozomi and Kodama who also took their seat at the table. They were thankfully silent, their teasing halted while she prepared breakfast. To anger the cook was an ill choice as retribution was made by the addition of too much salt, pepper, or any other the many foreign, and often, vile, spices that were at her disposal. Everyone was soon finished and everyone had places to be. Hikaris' father kissed each of his daughters on the cheek before heading out to work. Kodama would head to university after taking Nozomi to school, and that left Hikari to make her way to school after meeting up with Asuka.
A quiet start to a normal day.
Shinji woke early as usual, his morning ritual was about to begin. He rubbed his eyes and yawned while he stretched and made his way to the bathroom to relieve himself, and then bathe afterwards. Not long after he was done, and made his way to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and began to retrieve the necessary ingredients for breakfast, pausing momentarily to feed the warm water penguin who made his presence known with a sleepy "Wark". Speaking of sleepy utterances, Asuka was now awake talking, likely cursing, in German as she made her way to the bathroom. Shinji stopped to look at the clock, and noted the time. He was sure Misato had an earlier shift today. In any case he set out breakfast for everyone and had his own. He was done early and decided to head out to meet Touji and Kensuke.
"I'm headed off!" He called as he walked out the door.
An odd start to a normal day.
Asuka woke groggily; she stretched her arms and pulled herself out of bed. She dragged herself towards the bathroom muttering under her breath in German, "How can Shinji have that much energy of a morning?" She bathed letting the warm waters wake her up, and sooth the kinks from the night. She heard Shinji call out he was leaving and sighed. "Why couldn't that jerk wait for me at least?" 'Its not fair to think of him as a jerk, if anything it shouldn't be a surprise he didn't think of waiting for you.' Spoke out a small voice in her mind. And it was true, she treated Shinji like trash half the time, and a tool every other. She finished bathing and dressed herself, and was surprised at the sight of breakfast waiting for her. 'He was considerate enough to make ours before he left.' She smiled at this and placed the plate into the microwave to warm it a little before she sat to ate. She was soon done, before she left she knocked on Misatos' door,
"I left the paperwork you need to file on the table Misato, make sure you get it done!"
That task done, she was soon out the door and away from the building to meet Hikari.
A slow start to a normal day.
Misato was awoken by Asuka calling out to her with instructions regarding the paper work she needed to file. She yawned lazily and made no real move to get up from her futon. She reached around and wondered here her clock had disappeared to. She looked about the room and saw where it had landed upon a pile of discarded clothes, likely tossing it there after it went off, she reached out and fumbled with the time-telling device and checked its reading. She let out a loud squeal as she realised how late she had slept. She jumped out of bed and into the bathroom, taking a short moment to wash the smell of alcohol from her and rinsed with mouthwash and scrambled back to her room for her clothing. Dressing hastily she bolted for the kitchen where she found her beer and breakfast waiting for her, and on the aforementioned paper work. She smiled and downed her Yebisu and consumed her food without any grace as she was in a rush after all. Grabbing the papers and heading out the door she prayed traffic was good enough for her to get some headway. But then her Renault and her skills were widely known so people gave her lots of room.
A hectic start to a normal day.
Misato arrived at NERV in record time, but she was still late. Before getting to her office she swung by the bridge and managed to corner one Makoto Hyuuga.
"Makoto-san, will you do me a favour please?" She asked, adding a touch of petulance to her voice. The poor fool had no chance.
"Do you need me to pick up your laundry again Misato?" He asked defeatedly.
"Not this time, I need these documents to be processed, they've been signed, and all you need to do is get them where they need to go. Can I rely on you?" She asked with a cute expression.
"S-sure thing Misato!" He managed to utter.
"Thanks!" With that Misato was on her way to her office.
Makoto watched as Misato headed off, and he sighed, he was so whipped sometimes.
"Shigeru, cover for me I need to run some errands."
"No problem man, but you seriously need to grow a pair and just ask her out." Replied the long haired tech.
Makoto muttered a few curses at his friend as he walked off of the bridge to file the documents he had been handed.
The school day passed without incident, a normal day all told. Around the end of their last period everyone was split into their respective teams.
Shinji was able to speak with the girls about the move. "So, will you all be ready for Saturday?"
Mana nodded, "I organised my things back into their boxes, so I'll be ready, plus I'll have some help bringing the stuff over, I'll be there by mid-afternoon."
Shinji nodded, "Since Rei has the least to move I'll be there early to help her move first."
Mana blinked, "You've been to Reis' apartment before?"
Shinji paused a moment and nodded, "I went with Touji to deliver some papers."
Rei spoke up, "That was the second occasion." She noticed a small blush that crept to Shinjis' cheeks; she paused and remembered that the incident that occurred when he had visited her the first time had made him uncomfortable. So she elaborated in the most minimal way possible, "The first time was to deliver a new Security card."
Shinji let go of the breath he was unconsciously holding, and gave Rei a thankful smile.
Rei felt an odd sensation in her stomach when Shinji smiled at her, and she let herself smile back, as she continued, "I will await your arrival tomorrow then Shinji. Early."
Shinji nodded again and he felt happy. It was good to see Rei smiling; it made her look more... comfortable.
Hikari spoke up, "That makes me next after Rei?"
Shinji looked at Hikari, "If you like."
Hikari nodded, "I'll just be taking clothes and a few small personal items, the two of us should be enough."
"Sure." Shinji Agreed.
Asuka smirked, "Have everything under control do we Shinji?"
Shinji was wary of Asukas' attitude, "Uh, yeah, I guess..."
It was then that Asuka sprung her trap, "Well what about my things then hmm?"
Shinji sighed a little, "I sort of guessed that you wouldn't start packing until tomorrow so I can help you move after getting Hikari settled in. Unless you wanted to get it done earlier."
Asuka gave a short laugh, "Wake up early on a weekend? Are you dense? Anyway, don't forget my bed has to be moved as well."
Shinji sighed, "Yes Asuka."
Hikari disapproved of this, but before she could say anything about it, Mana did, "Don't worry Shinji, we'll all be there to help, don't think you need to do everything. Just because you're the man of the House doesn't mean we can't help out." She added a wink with her final comment.
Shinji blushed a little at the comment and nodded, "Thanks."
Hikari added her own joke, "With four wives he should be quite well looked after shouldn't he?" She asked teasingly.
Shinji turned red and managed to sputter half a sentence out before Asuka laughed out.
"Fat chance of that!" Asuka said haughtily
"There are more than enough of us to share the work evenly." Rei said simply
"Actually, Mana and I will probably look after most of the work." Hikari said, "Since you three are providing the income, we need to earn out keep. Besides, we don't want to husband to be disappointed in us." She said with a smirk. She enjoyed teasing Shinji with Mana. It was a little cruel maybe, but it wasn't anything too extreme.
Shinji still blushed, "N-no, I can't ask you guys to do everything... I enjoy cooking most of the time. But it would be nice to have a little help." He managed a small smile.
Mana giggled, "Then you can take my turn, I'm not so used to cooking for so many people."
"Sure." Was his simple reply.
"Hey, I was only kidding Shinji." Mana said with a small amount of Surprise.
"Oh... Heh, sorry." Replied Shinji.
"Well, don't expect me to cook, I hate it." Asuka stated.
"I recall Major Katsuragi mentioning your skills in cooking were comparable to her own." Rei commented.
Shinji tried to contain the laughter. It wasn't entirely true, no-one could be as bad as Misato when it came to her preferred foods, but it was funny all the same. He failed in his endeavour, and started to laugh out loud, but received a whack to the head for his efforts.
"Shut up Jerk!" Asuka demanded after delivering Shinjis Punishment.
Rei spoke up, "It is both illegal and amoral to beat your Spouse Asuka." Her comment held a hint of, could it be, dry wit?
The joke was not lost on the others, and while Rei was simply content to smile, Hikari and Mana broke out in fits of giggles, and even Shinji allowed himself a quiet chuckle.
Asuka was about to deliver a harangue that would burn the albinos' ears off but was cut off by the ringing of the school bell. Hikari stood and delivered her usual instructions for the class to bow to their teacher, and immediately called on those who had room clean-up duty.
Rei used her moment to make her exit, taking her belongings and leaving the room, as did Mana. Leaving an amused, Shinji and Hikari, and a very annoyed Asuka behind.
Mana tried to catch up with Rei as she left the classroom,
"Hey Rei wait up!" Mana called.
"Yes Mana?" Rei asked coolly.
"Do you and Asuka hate each other?" Mana queried.
"Her opinion of me is more than clear. However I do not bare any ill will against Asuka." Was the calm reply.
"Those barbs weren't exactly friendly Rei." Mana said knowingly.
Rei shook her head. "I may not bare ill will against Asuka personally, but I do not, however, find her treatment of Shinji acceptable." Her voice tinged with slight irritation.
Mana laughed a little and nodded, "Yeah, she does mistreat him a lot. Its like she's trying to hide something behind her aggression."
Rei nodded simply, "A logical assumption."
Mana wore a shark-like grin, "But the real question is; why do you defend Shinji then?"
Rei did not bother to hide the small smile that crept onto her face, "I would as the same question of you Mana."
Mana blushed a little, but said nothing. Her grin may have lessened, but it remained on her face.
"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then Rei. It's good to know we get on so well."
Rei nodded, "Indeed."
With that, the two girls separated, and went in their respective directions from the school.
All the way home Asukas expression had been grim. She hated getting shot down like that, especially by Wonder Girl, of all people. She hated it most of all because she was right too. She had no right to hit Shinji, in reality she was surprised she hadn't been called in on assaulting her classmates. But that was because Shinji never said anything, in retrospect, because he took her abuse with such good graces, that it validated her using him as a mental, emotional and especially, physical punching bag.
Asuka growled and shoved the introspection aside, she hated the psychoanalytical bullshit that ran through her head, and she hated feeling like she had to justify her actions to others.
In truth she'd never admit that she really hated herself more than anything else.
Shinji followed Asuka from a slight distance, he knew better than to interrupt her brooding, and prayed no more anger be cast on his head, not till they got home anyway. Unfortunately, Shinji had a compassionate streak a mile and a half wide, and tried to sooth Asuka.
"Is there anything you'd like for dinner tonight Asuka." Shinji asked tentatively.
Asuka snapped out of her thoughts, and glared at Shinji, who managed to suppress the urge to flinch under her gaze.
"I don't care." Was her curt reply.
Shinji frowned a little, "I'm sorry for laughing at you before Asuka. I didn't mean to upset you."
Asuka Turned to face him properly and all but shouted at him, "Stop apologising its annoying me!"
Shinji was feeling bewildered, "Why?" He asked.
Asukas face clouded with some confusion, and hurt, "Because its something I refuse to do, but should..." she muttered, before storming off ahead into the building.
Hikari got home later than most other students, her duties as class rep kept her back longer than everyone else, and she was glad to be home. This opinion changed quickly after running into Nozomi who smirked. "Dad! Kodama! The newly-wed is home!" she called out. Hikaris eyes narrowed at her younger sibling, "You're going to get it now runt!"
Nozomi barrelled out of the hall and into the dining room with Hikari on her heels. She headed for the living room to try and use the couch as a barrier. This proved a fatal error. Hikari had guessed her younger siblings move, and came from her left and tackled her on the couch, and immediately began to tickle Nozomi, who then was overcome by laughter and tears.
"Nooo! -hahahahah- please! -hahahaha- I'm sorry!" Nozomi exclaimed between peals of laughter.
"I'll make sure you're sorry!" Hikari said mercilessly.
It didn't last much longer before Kodama arrived to pull Hikari off of Nozomi.
"Come on cut her some slack she's Just a kid Hikari." Said her older sister.
Hikari sighed, "Yeah I know, she deserved it though. Sorry anyway Nozomi."
"Good. Besides, you shouldn't take out the frustrations you have with your husband on others." Kodama said, barely containing the grin on her face.
Hikari turned a bright shade of red mixed of anger and embarrassment, while Nozomi began laughing wildly.
"Da-ad!" Hikari called out desperately, "Kodama and Nozomi are at it again!"
Her father appeared from the houses' office and looked at his three daughters flatly.
"Come on you two, leave your sister alone." He said levelly.
Kodama and Nozomi assented and left Hikari alone. She sighed to herself and made her way to her room. If only Shinji hadn't kept the Marriage licence as his own personal joke, she could have made sure her father understood is purpose, and kept it away from her sisters. But with the result of her ignorance and her fathers over-reacting shock at the documents in front of him, especially with her sisters within ear-shot; she was now being teased non-stop. Most definitely this was some retribution for taking amusement in Shinjis suffering earlier, and she smiled ruefully to herself. It was odd that just thinking of Shinji made her smile like that.
Later that evening Misato got home feeling sufficiently exhausted, wanting nothing more than a warm bath, a hot beer, and a long nap. She opened the door, and the smell of cooking food hit her nose and she smiled, 'Maybe a hot meal wouldn't hurt as well.' She was greeted by Shinji and Pen-Pen, and muffled response from Asukas room as she made her way to her own to change into something more comfortable, before heading to the kitchen table for dinner. She opened a beer and waited for Shinji to serve the meal and she smiled. Sometimes it was good to have a normal day.
To be Continued...
- In other words -
- Hold my hand -