Disclaimer: see chapter 1.

Folded Wings

By Random1377

Chapter 23

The days seemed to whirl past, bringing Saturday around before anyone could properly catch their breath. Hikari found her excitement building by the hour as the time of the party drew closer. She knew there probably wouldn't be a large turnout – Rei was right about that much – but there was at least one person she hoped would show up.

She just hoped that if he did, she would be able to say what was on her mind.

"Everything's ready," she announced, moving one of the dip bowls a few inches to the left as Rei looked on.

Hikari had promised to help with the preparations, but considering that she was one of the fussiest people Rei knew, she had ended up doing everything herself, leaving Rei with nothing to do but watch. Not that Rei was complaining, of course. She still had reservations about the party in the first place, especially the impulsively added 'welcome home' theme Hikari had added at the last minute.

What Rei really wanted was to speak to Shinji in private for a few minutes and, if possible, ask for another kiss, because – with the aid of hindsight – her kiss with him had not been worse than her kiss with Hikari, just different… and she was quite interested in exploring that difference.

"Hey!" Hikari said suddenly, drawing Rei from her contemplation of Shinji's kiss. "Go get dressed. We picked out that pretty blue dress just for this party, so go get it on!"

Rei decided not to point out that Hikari had been the one to pick out the dress, and instead started for the bathroom. "There is someone at the door," she murmured, changing directions as the doorbell rang. "I will-"

"Get dressed," Hikari interrupted, seizing the girl by the elbow and guiding her back towards the bathroom. "That's what you'll be doing. I'll get the door, you get dressed. K? K."

Practically shoving Rei into the bathroom, Hikari hurried to the door. Please be him, please be him, she thought, smoothing her own dress down as she thought of how perfect it would be to have a few minutes alone to say what she had to say. Please be him.

Taking a deep, breath, she pulled the door open. "Welcome to the party!"

It was not the person she was hoping for.

"Umm, hi," she said uncertainly, looking at the girl standing in front of her with a complete lack of recognition.

Pretty contacts, she thought, studying the girl's lavender eyes for a moment before glancing up to her vibrantly streaked blonde hair – styled like Hikari's younger sister, with most of it brushed back over the girl's left ear and held in place by a small, floral hairclip. She looks way familiar, too. I wonder if she goes to school wi-

"So," the girl said dryly, "you gonna let me in or just stare at me?"

"Asuka?"

The girl folded her arms over her chest. "Mm hm," she hummed, arching an eyebrow expectantly. "All that time as 'best friends' must not have meant all that much to you if you don't even recognize my face after a couple weeks."

Hikari opened and closed her mouth several times, but could not think of a suitable response.

"Is your girlfriend home?" Asuka asked, glancing over Hikari's shoulder, "or is she out buying a personality?"

Flushing, Hikari finally opened the door all the way. "Y-you mean Rei?" she stammered. "She's changing, but… but you know the whole girlfriend thing is just a j-"

"What I know is that I told you it was her or me," Asuka cut in calmly, "and it looks like you made your choice." Suddenly reaching out, she took hold of someone standing just outside of Hikari's line of sight, pulling them into the apartment without another word to the class rep.

"Hey Horaki."

"Oh, Ikari," Hikari gasped, "I didn't even see you there."

"Yeah," Shinji nodded, "Mister Kaji's front door is arranged just right for hiding people… just ask Misato."

"Er, right."

While the reference went right over Hikari's head, she found that she was still glad to see a friendly face. If it had been just her, Rei, and Asuka at the party, Hikari might have had to kill herself.

Things went fairly smoothly for an hour or so, and to Hikari's surprise, nearly fifteen people showed up from school, showing that either Rei had more influence than she thought, or the prospect of free snacks carried further than anyone had anticipated. Asuka spent most of her time on the couch, holding Shinji's hand and glaring at anyone that tried to approach them – Hikari included – until people gave up and left them alone.

She's… changed, Hikari thought, heading for the door once again as a hesitant knock sounded. Not just the hair and the contacts – she's really… well, not different, I guess, because she's still bossy and full of herself but… God, maybe I'm not her friend after all. That was really harsh…

Pushing the thought aside, she opened the door.

"H-hello," the woman on the other side stammered.

"Hi," Hikari said politely, glancing at the woman's uniform. "You must work with Rei. Come on in and-"

"No," the woman said, quickly thrusting a small package into Hikari's hands. "I have something else I have to do, but could you… could you make sure Rei gets that for me?"

Hikari glanced down at the package. "Al…right," she said slowly. "Who should I say it's from?"

The woman smiled sadly.

"No one."

With a short bow, she turned and left Hikari staring after her.

( 0 0 0 )

"I'm bored."

Shinji glanced around at the other partygoers. "I think we're the only ones," he observed, shaking his head as Kensuke tried once more to get him to come over to where he was standing and talking to a small group of classmates. "Do you want to go, or… or something?"

Asuka rested her chin in her palm. "Something," she said smoothly. "Come with me."

"Where are we going?" Shinji wondered, getting to his feet and following the girl as she led him deeper into the apartment. "Hey, isn't this the-"

"Bedroom, yes," Asuka cut in, pushing the door open and pulling him in, "don't ask so many questions."

Before Shinji had a chance to ask what they were doing, Asuka had drawn him into a deep, fiercely possessive kiss, slipping her tongue into his mouth and leaning back against the door for support as he all but fell against her, completely off guard and barely able to follow her lead as she alleviated her boredom.

"Don't look at her while I'm with you," she breathed, breaking the kiss only long enough to give this simple directive before bringing her mouth back to his and wrapping her arms tightly around his chest.

Shinji could not have replied if he wanted to, but felt that he got the message. When Asuka finally let him go, several minutes later, he had to catch his breath, unable to focus his eyes properly as he realized she was watching him very closely, and smiling in a very self-satisfied way.

"You think they did it?"

Shinji blushed and averted his eyes. "I… I don't know," he admitted uncomfortably. "I don't think he would, but I don't know."

"I'll bet they did," Asuka said thoughtfully. "Probably did it on that bed right there, too…"

"Maybe…"

Asuka glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

"You wanna try it?"

Shinji's head whipped around so fast Asuka was sure she heard his neck crack. "Wh-what?"

"We should try it sometime," Asuka said evenly. "Not now, of course… but maybe after we've been going out a while longer." She stared at him, leaning back against the door and wetting her lips before whispering, "You're my boyfriend, right? When the time's right… we should do it."

Pushing away from the door, she walked boldly up to Shinji, turning around and pushing herself back up against him, pressing her backside firmly against his hips.

"Oo," she said playfully, "looks like we fit just right." Slowly, she reached back and took his hands, wrapping them around her stomach and leaning her head against his shoulder.

"I'm not saying you'll be the only one I'll sleep with," she whispered, "but if you play your cards right, you'll be the first."

Shinji blinked, taken off guard by this comment. "Not… the only one?"

Asuka smiled, slowly pulling his hands higher. "Oh, no," she said lightly, "I mean… since I'm not a pilot anymore, I've got a lot of free time on my hands… so I figured what better way to fill it than to date, you know? And if I'm already gonna be sleeping with you, why not a couple other guys?" She pressed herself back against him, drawing a gasp from him as she breathed, "If it's ok for you to go out with other girls, it's ok for me to go out with other guys… right?"

Swallowing with some difficulty, Shinji managed to whisper, "I… I guess so."

"Mmm…" Asuka hummed, smiling broadly as his hands began to move of their own accord, "unless you really want me to me all yours, Shinji…"

"I'd like that," Shinji said awkwardly. "I mean, I don't know about doing… you know, that right away, but I…"

"You want me to be yours," Asuka supplied helpfully as he trailed off into incoherent rambling.

"…yeah."

Satisfied that he had figured out what to do with his hands, Asuka reached back and slid her fingers around the back of his neck.

"I'll be yours, Shinji… if you'll be mine…"

Shinji's hands froze less than an inch from Asuka's chest.

"Asuka, I-"

"Think it over, Shinji," Asuka cut in, reaching down and helping his hands complete their journey. "Just think it over…"

( 0 0 0 )

Rei dropped the last few bits of trash into the garbage and closed the lid, letting out a very faint sigh of relief as the last remaining traces of the ill-fated party were hidden from view. In her opinion, the night was a bust. Food she did not like, people she barely knew, and not even one moment alone with Shinji all added up to a very dull experience for the First Child.

Hikari, on the other hand, seemed to have had a fine time, and went about her duties with a smile on her face, humming under her breath as she loaded the dishwasher and filled it with detergent, starting it with a flick of the wrist and giving Rei a quick bow.

"The chores are done, m'lady," she said in a regal voice, "you may go to bed any time you like."

Rei's non-committal, "Mm," did nothing to dull Hikari's spirits. Glancing at the clock on the wall, however, the blue-haired girl found that, "It is very late…"

"Mmmm I know," Hikari yawned, stretching expansively. "Would it be ok if I stayed over? My dad's working late and my sisters are over at my aunt's house in Hokkaido."

"Of course," Rei whispered, a bit surprised at the request. "But I will need to see if Mister Kaji left a futon."

Hikari shook her head.

"C'mere…"

Taking Rei by the hand, she led her to Kaji's bedroom, pushing the door open and leading the confused Child inside.

"We could sleep here," she suggested, sitting on the edge of the bed and patting the spot next to her. "It's big enough, that's for sure… and it would be like a sleepover – you know, we could stay up late and talk and…" she trailed off. "Well, maybe you don't know, but still, I think it would be fun if we stayed in here."

Rei hesitated. "I'm not sure," she said slowly. "No one has been in here since Mister Kaji, and-"

"Asuka and Shinji came in here for a few minutes earlier tonight," Hikari interrupted softly. "Not like, long enough to really do anything… unless that kind of thing only takes a few minutes, but they were in here together." She averted her eyes guiltily. "Plus I… kinda took a look around here one day when you were in the shower. Sorry, I was just curious about what kind of person Mister Kaji was, and I think a bedroom can tell you a lot about someone."

She chewed her lip nervously as Rei digested this information.

"Besides," she said finally, "you said you wanted to remember him, right? I think sleeping in his bed would help you remember, don't you? I mean, this is where you saw him in the morning and at night, and you… you told me how you tried to sleep with him, so… I'd think this room would have the most memories for you…"

"I… suppose you're right," Rei admitted. "Very well then."

Hikari smiled happily. "Then lets get our pajamas on and get in," she offered. "I'm beat." She rose to her feet and slipped past Rei, nudging her in the ribs as she whispered, "Don't peek while I'm changing."

Several minutes later, the two girls slid under the thick comforter on the king-sized bed, each marveling at how soft the sheets were.

"Mister Kaji knew how to live," Hikari declared, moving all around on the luxurious bed before finally settling in a few feet from Rei. "Do you… miss him a lot?"

Rei nodded. "This place… smells like him," she observed. "I am glad that you suggested sleeping here."

Hikari smiled happily. "You should sleep here every night, Rei," she recommended. "Having a great bed like this go to waste seems like such a shame."

"Perhaps…"

After a few moments of quiet, Hikari whispered, "Rei? Can I tell you something?"

Rei nodded. "Certainly."

Finding the blue-haired girl's hand under the covers and gently lacing their fingers together, Hikari asked, "Did you see Suzuhara at the party?"

Staring up at the ceiling, Rei shook her head. "No," she said honestly, "I was not aware that he was there."

"He was sitting in the corner, kinda keeping to himself," Hikari said, slowly running her thumb along Rei's knuckles, as if soothing her before quietly whispering, "I talked to him for a few minutes, Rei… I asked him to be my boyfriend."

"I see," Rei murmured, shivering a bit at the softness of Hikari's touch.

"Rei, come here…"

Obediently, Rei moved across the bed, easing into Hikari's open arms and settling her head on the pillow, putting her less than five inches from Hikari's face, staring into her eyes.

"Are you mad?" Hikari asked, slipping her arms around Rei's waist and pulling her a bit closer.

"No," Rei replied, her voice revealing her confusion as she tentatively put a hand on Hikari's hip. "I… would have no right to be mad at you for asking-"

Hikari set a finger gently on Rei's lips, silencing her. "I didn't ask if you had a right to be mad," she pointed out quietly, "I asked if you are mad. Emotions don't follow rules like that – I think I told you that before, didn't I? I know you like me a lot, Rei… so I want to make sure I'm not hurting you."

Rei considered this for a moment. "It does hurt," she admitted softly. "But I cannot explain why."

"Yeah," Hikari said softly, "I kinda figured." Slowly, she pulled Rei the rest of the way into her arms. "I won't apologize, though," she said quietly. "This is what feels right for me, Rei, and I can't change that… I'm sorry." Gently stroking Rei's back, she concluded, "I wouldn't mind if you held me tonight, though… I wouldn't mind that at all."

Nodding slowly, Rei said, "May I… kiss you once more?"

Hikari smiled softly. "No, Rei," she murmured, "you can't."

Putting a hand on the back of Rei's neck, Hikari pulled her head down onto her shoulder, stroking the other girl lightly on the back of the neck until her eyes slipped closed and her body relaxed.

As Rei began to drift off, Hikari's words floated gently into her ear, following her into her dreams.

"Sleep well, Rei. I know it's not the way you wanted… but I do love you."

When Rei woke in the middle of the night, she found the spot on Hikari's nightshirt where her head had been soaked through to the skin.

Tears…? she thought, glancing up at the other girl's peacefully sleeping face. My tears? Have I ever… shed tears before…?

Closing her eyes, Rei lifted her head and pressed her lips lightly against Hikari's forehead, wishing she could ever express her gratitude to the girl for uttering those soft, magical words. Silently, she settled back into Hikari's embrace, holding the other girl close through the entire night and going over all the things she could say to thank the class rep for making her feel so special.

In the morning, however, none of her words seemed adequate… so she kept them to herself and waited until Hikari opened her eyes to offer her the only physical gesture she could think of to show her thankfulness.

A smile.

Continued…