Disclaimer: Same As Chapter 1.
Chapter 26: Matthew
"We're home!" Shinji yelled into the apartment as he helped Rei with one of her bags. The sudden rain had gotten them both drenched, despite the short walk from the train station to home. Unfortunately the grocery bags they had were not only paper but were also overpacked, so by the time they returned the bags were at the point of tearing to pieces. Very carefully both managed to get their purchases onto the kitchen counter, where water absorbed by the paper bags could congregate onto the tile.
"I...think...we...can...let...most...of...this...stuff...dry before we...put it away," Shinji said inbetween breaths to the pale girl standing beside him, worn out from running through the rain and lugging the heavy containers of food with him. Rei was slightly out of breath as well, but she waited until she had regained her composure before speaking.
"Very well." She casually looked over at Shinji, who didn't seem to realize he was dripping wet, his clothes completelly soaked through. "...You should change, Shinji." The boy looked down at himself, then at the equally drenched girl, averting his eyes as soon as his mind registered that he could see through ther shirt.
"...That's a bit of a case of the pot calling the kettle 'black,' isn't it?" Rei arched an eyebrow curiously at Shinji's use of such a bizarre phrase.
"What does that have to do with your current state, Shinji?"
"Well, uh..." He sighed, smiling at how Rei automatically took things literally. "...Nevermind. Here, why don't you get changed; I'll get started on dinner." The girl nodded, then headed to Shinji's room to shed her now-unsuitable attire. Shinji turned to the stove and noticed that there was a skillet on the stove with food still on it.
That's wierd. Shouldn't Asuka have eaten this?
It then occured to Shinji that he hadn't seen or heard Asuka since they had gotten back. "...Asuka?" he called tentatively, but was greeted only with the echo bouncing off the walls.
Did she go out or something?
That seemed the most likely thing. But why she hadn't left a note saying so frustrated him.
Oh well. She'll probably be back in time for dinner anyway.
What am I doing here?
Sitting on a sidewalk bench with her arms wrapped about her knees was a pathetic rain-soaked figure, though anyone who knew her would have recognized her as Asuka Langley Sorhyu. After running out of the apartment, her mind gradually came to grips with her actions, though she had gotten about a mile away before her higher brain function had kicked in.
This whole thing is stupid. All I'm doing now is running away.
It occured to her how ironic it was that she had called Shinji a coward so many times, yet here she was, acting the very same way.
I...I just can't face them. Not the way I am now. But...where can I go?
At first she thought of Hikari, but it occured to her then that she hadn't seen the freckle-faced class representative at all since she'd been back from the hospital.
No. That'd be wierd. It's been too long. Wait...am I really so messed up that to be with a friend would feel awkward?
She sighed as the rain continued to pour down on her, numbing her to the world living peacefully around her, coldly mocking her inner confusion.
...What do I do now?
Suddenly the cold touch of the falling streams of water ended as a something hovered above her head. Asuka looked straight up to see an red umbrella, sheltering her from the elements.
...What?...
"Hello."
She turned her head to the right and saw the owner of both the umbrella and the voices. It was a strange looking boy with silver hair and what looked like red eyes. She was instantly reminded of Rei, the last person she wanted to think about at this moment, so her response to his greeting was somewhat less than friendly.
"...What the hell do you want?" The boy smiled gently at her before answering.
"I saw you sitting out here. I thought you might be cold, so I--"
Asuka instantly stood up, grabbing her duffel bag and prepared to walk away. Before she could take even a few steps, however, she doubled over in a massive sneeze. The silver-haired boy came closer, shielding her with his umbrella again. Now Asuka regarded him with a look that would have killed a lesser man, but merely made him blink confusedly.
"What are you doing, you pervert? I thought I made it clear that you should get the hell away!"
"...I don't understand," he said with what was a genuinely befuddled expression. "I was simply trying to offer you assistance as an act of goodwill..."
"SCREW YOU, ASSHOLE! I don't need your help or anyone else's! If I ever needed help from some messed up freak like you--"
A fresh round of sneezes cut her off. It was nearly a minute before she was certain they had ended, upon which she opened her mouth to resume her rant, but was rendered speechless when the boy put his hand on her forehead.
"Hmm. You might have a fever, Asuka. Probably from sitting in the rain for so long." He smiled at her kindly again, as though he found the whole prospect amusing. Asuka only continued to stare at him, her brow still slightly creased but with uncertainty, not anger, in her eyes.
"...How...how do you know my name? Who are you?"
"My name is Kaworu Nagisa. I'm the Fifth Child."
Upon hearing the words 'Fifth Child,' something inside Asuka snapped. She instantly put her hands at the boy's throat, not caring that there were pedestrians all around her. Kaworu's eyes widened slightly at Asuka's unexpected assault, but he diidn't make a single noise as the red-haired girl continued to try to squeeze the life out of him. He had expected her to react this way, after all. Asuka wanted more than anything to kill him at that moment, but her grip began to slacken against her will.
No...I won't let myself be replaced...Not by this bastard...
She fell to the street, a sudden exaustion overwhelming her. Kaworu rubbed his neck where her hands had been only seconds ago as a few people rushed up to the fallen girl.
"What happened"
"She's burning up"
"Must've fainted..."
Kaworu found a gap in the cluster of people and bent down, lifting Asuka at the waist and with her arm thrown around his shoulders for support. One of the bystanders looked at the boy a bit uncertainly, considering he was helping someone who had just been attacking him.
"Um...All you all right with her?" Kaworu smiled reassuringly at the woman.
"Don't worry. We actually know each other quite well."
The crowd wasn't entirely convinced, but Kaworu walked off with Asuka before they could voice their concern.
Hmm...she is sick, he thought as he picked up her duffel bag and made his way back to his apartment, still carrying the unconcious girl on his arm.