I'm so excited about the ammount of reviews! I'll try to answer all the questions, and this chapter is dedicated to all of you who've already reviewed and all those who will inthe future!
dennisud - Thank you! I really aprecciate you saying that it was one of your favotrite stories! Y'know, there are a few instances where they slip up, in this chapter, I think. And I thought about adding Mana but I wanted to keep it to the scene in ep. 26.
kaiser-of-chaos-armageddon - Yes sir!
Rahhel - thanks, I thought it was cute too ;
Frost-EVA-04 - if you want you can check out "Other People's Thoughts, PtLoOF" and that should tell you how he feels :)
Oblivion882 - Will do! And I think you'll like Rei's involvment.
Aznxjth - Thank you and done.
Neferius - Oh, I'm so glad someone noticed Touji. I heart him oh so much! And Asuka is so bad at admitting anything (in the show, too)!
Okutai - Oh, that sounds really cool! You'll have to tell me how that is when you get it so I can consider getting it! And here is your chapter, so don't set your ferret on me! Ack!
THIRD CHAPTER OF FIRST PART
"Kensuke, Shinji's MOTHER wants him sleeping with Asuka?"
Shinji and Asuka sat at the dining table in silence, having just finished their meals. Asuka was pissed off at Hikari for making her realize she liked him, so decided it would do well to complain her ear off.
Asuka stood up silently, talking out her cell phone. "What are you going to do?" Shinji asked her nervously.
Asuka frowned. "Can I talk to Hikari in your room? We have private matters to discuss."
Shinji looked awful when she said that. He put down the fork he had idly been playing with. "Are you keeping secrets from me because you hate me?" He asked quietly.
Asuka was startled. "No! I don't hate you Shinji…" She started to step forward and hug him but held herself back. "I've got girly stuff to talk with her about!"
Shinji stood up and placed his hands on the table. He looked straight into her eyes and Asuka was shaken at the look in his steady gaze. Betrayal?
"You hate me. It's really very evident. There's no point in lying anymore, Asuka." Shinji said with no emotion.
"Why would you think that?" Asuka asked after a minute of shocked quiet.
"Was it something I said at lunch?"
"You haven't told me why you think I hate you!" she yelled, frightened by his careless tone.
"You were going to complain about me to Hikari. Don't make that face, I know it's true. You were trying to lie to me earlier, about the guy you were thinking about." He told her softly. She tried to step forward but couldn't make her legs work. "And now, you're trying so hard to keep up the lies, Asuka. You were going to hug me, but I repulse you so much you can't bear to touch me."
"Shinji," Asuka said, her voice cracking. "Shinji, I'd never be repulsed by you. Don't ever…don't ever think that! You've done nothing wrong!" She held her hands in front of her face so he couldn't see how much she was trembling. "I'm afraid to hug you."
"Why?"
"Because YOU hate ME!" She sobbed, turning on her heel and running into the bathroom, locking the door. She slumped down on the floor and tried not to cry. Shinji had run after her, and was standing at the door, stuttering.
Asuka didn't get this upset often. And whenever she did, Shinji hadn't a clue on how to handle her. "Come on, now Asuka. O-open the door."
"NO!" she yelled, and heard Shinji walk away to the kitchen. Confused, she wondered if he was going to leave her forever; if he hated her guts so much he couldn't bear to speak with her anymore. Yet I still like him more than anyone else on the earth…
She heard Shinji's soft padding footsteps walk back to the door. He did something with the doorknob, then pushed the door open. Asuka barely had time to realize he had gotten a key before he looked down into her eyes with an odd mixture of pity and pain. He reached down for her arm and pulled her to a standing position. She backed up a few steps
"I don't hate you." He said, not letting go. "I was so terrified at the thought you hated me, but…I could never hate you." He had such an open face on that Asuka knew it to be true.
She took a tentative step forward and waited. Shinji moved forward, too. They stood staring into each others eyes, barely a pace apart.
They both stirred at the same moment, meeting in a tight, warm hug. Asuka felt any worry fly out of her mind as he held her close. Shinji needs me…He needs me as much as I need him! Asuka thought, elated.
"Never…never leave me?" Asuka whispered into his neck.
"I wouldn't even if you told me to." He replied sweetly. Asuka shivered as his breath swept through her hair.
"Good." She said, her voice filled with relief. Shinji tightened his grip, his head buried into her shoulder, and placed a feather-soft kiss on her neck.
Asuka stopped breathing. Mein GOTT! He KISSED me! Shinji didn't seem to notice her daze, placing another kiss beneath her ear before moving back with a satisfied smile.
"You…you can use my room to talk with Hikari, if you want. I believe you, now." He whispered. She dumbly nodded. Shinji waited a second, then his smile faltered. "Er, aren't you going to move?" he asked.
Asuka nodded again, still stuck in place. Shinji grabbed her arm and dragged her to it and sat her on his bed, giving her a pointed look before going back to the den, closing the door behind him.
Asuka slowly got up to follow him. He was surprised to see her, and opened his mouth to ask her what she was doing, but she beat him to the chase.
"Let's have some friends over, Shinji-kun." She said. He was so surprised he nodded.
Asuka brightened up, finally smiling dazzlingly at him. "You call the other two stooges, I'll call Hikari!" she said, plunking down on the couch and dialing.
Asuka needed to speak to someone about what had just happened. She had tons of friends, though she only confided important things in Hikari and Shinji. Since she definitely couldn't talk to Shinji about what had just happened, that left Hikari. And how rude would it be if she just invited just Hikari to Shinji's house and then went off to talk to her? Besides, Shinji would need a first-class distraction and Touji and Kensuke were an excellent one.
"Hey, who is this?" Hikari said in a jubilant voice.
"Hey! It's Asuka again! Shinji and I are going to have some friends over." She paused. "Please say you'll come?" She asked, stressing the importance as subtly as she could.
"One second, let me ask permission." Hikari said eagerly. Asuka guessed she was still happy about the news Asuka she had told her earlier. Asuka waited for a minute, humming a classical song Shinji used to play for her on his cello until Hikari returned. "I can go! I'll be there in a few minutes!" Hikari squealed.
"Good! See you then!" Asuka replied before hanging up. Shinji was sitting on the floor talking to Kensuke. She could hear Kensuke's excited voice clear as day.
"Your parents are out! How cheeky to have friends over!" He cried happily. Shinji squirmed.
"It was all Asuka's suggestion!" He whined.
"She's with you?"
"We're having a 'sleepover'."
"Oh!" Kensuke gasped. "How naughty! I didn't expect this of you, Shinji!" Kensuke blathered on. "Hikari will flip when she hears about this!" he said gleefully.
"Nani? What are you implying?" Asuka had grabbed the phone and screamed into it. Kensuke and Touji had always hinted that Asuka and Shinji were secretly a couple, no matter how many times she hit them. But this? This was uncalled for! Does he think I'm some sort of SLUT?
"Eh?" Kensuke played dumb. "What are you talking about, Asuka?" he asked. She was about to yell at him again, but he continued before she could speak. "Tell Shinji I'll be there in bit." He said before hanging up. Asuka threw the phone at Shinji.
"What a baka!" She groaned.
"…Yeah. Did he say he'd come?" Shinji responded. She nodded. "Touji said he would, too."
"Good." Asuka sighed, glancing at the clock. It was only 6:20 now, and it would take about ten minutes for everyone to get there. She started flipping through the TV guide. "What do you think we should watch?" she asked. "A stirring romance? Or an action movie?"
"Action." Shinji hesitantly replied. Asuka decided that would suit her purposes well, so kept an eye out for movies of that genre.
Shinji seemed nervous to be around her and Asuka was glad she had suggested to invite friends over. They had been listening to the drone of the television for about seven minutes when the doorbell rang. Asuka jumped up.
"COMING!" she screeched and ran to the front hallway. She flung open the door to find a cheerful Hikari. She dragged the still smiling girl into the house. "Hikari! So glad you're here!"
"Hey Asuka. Hi Shinji." Hikari said in a dreamy voice. Asuka shook her lightly. Hikari glared at her. "What?"
"…Sit down!" she said, pulling the girl down next to her on the couch.
"How are you doing, Hikari-chan?" Shinji inquired, concerned over her faraway manner. Hikari smiled warmly at him.
"I'm wonderful, thanks." She replied. They all turned to the television for a few minutes until the doorbell rang again. Asuka pulled Hikari along with her to get the door again, and was pleased with this decision when she saw Touji.
Touji spluttered at the sight of the two girls, clearly expecting to be greeted by Shinji. "H-hey Hikari, A-Asuka."
"Hello Touji." Said Hikari in a 'come hither' sort of voice. Touji stared at Hikari like he'd never seen her before. She smiled the most captivating smile at him. Asuka couldn't help but giggle at the way they were looking at each other. It was obvious that they were interested in each other, if you knew how to look. Shinji had never known the subtle ways people show affection. Kensuke was too receptive to signs. Asuka herself had a good deal of knowledge on the subject herself, after studying Hikari and Touji's interactions for years.
"Come on in, Touji." Asuka said, pulling Hikari with her again as she went back to the couch. Touji followed them with a mystified look on his face.
"Hey Touji." Shinji called from the floor, patting the spot next to him. The girls sat down on the couch as Touji plunked down on the carpet. "Are you okay?" he asked, noticing the bewildered expression on his friends face.
"Wha—yeah, I'm great." Touji said, turning to look at the TV.
"Huh. Well, both you and Hikari have been acting weird tonight—" Shinji said, still looking at his friend. He paused and a shocked look covered his face. "Asuka, could I speak to you in the kitchen?"
Asuka trailed him into the kitchen, where he leaned against the counter. "What is it?" she smiled at him.
"He'll realize she knows, won't he? He'll kill me!" Shinji moaned quietly. Asuka patted his back.
"Oh, Shinji-kun, it's all for the better."
"Me getting killed is for the better?"
"Of COURSE not, baka! It's best if she knows, is what I meant. And when they're married and have eight little brats he'll thank you for slipping up!" she looked thoughtful. "Though, it was pretty obvious to me that they liked each other, so like he'll be able to tell it was you. They were eating lunch together for a week! Everyone knew!"
"Asuka-chan, that proves nothing. WE eat lunch everyday together, don't we?" Shinji said offhandedly. Asuka stared at him for a minute, then looked down at her feet.
"I suppose you're right." She whispered, before walking back to the living room. Shinji waited a moment, sighed, then followed her.
Hikari had been smiling blissfully at the back of Touji's head while he restlessly watched the television. "Ah, you're back!" Touji said as the doorbell rung once again. Shinji ran off to get it and he and Kensuke walked into the room with similar grins on their faces.
"Whazzup?" Kensuke asked, eyes flickering between Touji and Hikari. "Wow, you could cut the tension in here with my army knife!" he whispered to Shinji, whose grin got wider. Touji shrugged, having not heard, as Kensuke dropped down on the floor next to him. He elbowed his friend.
"What?"
"Shinji and Asuka are having a 'sleepover'!" he declared loudly to Touji. Hikari frowned, but Touji burst out laughing.
"How would you know?" he chuckled, hitting Kensuke's shoulder in a friendly way.
"Shinji said so! They're gonna go at it when we leave!"
"WHAT?" Hikari shrieked. Asuka hit Kensuke and Touji, who were both laughing crazily.
"How dare you! I'd never do that, I'm not a slut!" Asuka yelled. Hikari was shaking and Shinji was patting her shoulder.
"You aren't, right?" she asked Shinji, eyes closed in fear and needing reassurance, her good sense apparently leaving her because of the appalling statement. He blushed deeply.
"No. No we are not going to. My mother asked Asuka to sleep over tonight."
Kensuke and Touji's heads spun around to look at him. "Kensuke, Shinji's MOTHER wants him sleeping with Asuka?" Touji said, surprised.
"Maybe she wants the families connected?" Kensuke replied. Shinji walked slowly past the seething Asuka and stopped in front of the other boys.
"Shut up." He muttered, banging their heads together abruptly and surprising everyone. Asuka burst out laughing and Hikari tentatively joined in. "No more of this." Shinji said strongly. The others nodded and everyone faced the television.
Pretty soon the three stooges had gotten into a conversation about the girls in the school. Asuka and Hikari had put all their attention into the conversation, and every time a new girl was mentioned they would start gossiping about her loudly.
Asuka was inwardly embarrassed that she and Hikari were so jealous. Hikari and I have admired boys' looks before, surely Shinji is just doing the same? No need to be spiteful. She mused.
"Oh, how about that Rei Ayanami! She's cute, huh?" Shinji said to the boys. They nodded eagerly.
"Her face, her legs, her chest, her hair…!" Kensuke sighed. "She's wonderful! And not as ditzy as most girls!"
"Are you suggesting we're lightheaded?" Hikari shouted at him. Kensuke looked aggravated.
"Of course not, you two are different than that." He replied, not thinking before he spoke. Kensuke usually pretended not to be any bit caring of Asuka or Hikari, and his comment made them go red in the face. Asuka was pleased and grinned cheerily at him. He colored, but continued. "Rei isn't nervous about others opinions at all. She's a bit reckless and a tad rude, but I like 'em that way!" he said with hearts in his eyes. "She's really friendly; she ate lunch with me, when you four went off together to 'eat'." He said with a pleased sigh. Asuka wondered if he could go a minute without implying something, but let it go.
"She's quite indecent, though!" Hikari exclaimed. "Remember how she—never mind, she's just like you two. You'd be perfect with her, Kensuke." Hikari said benignly. Kensuke grinned at her.
"Thank you!"
"Hey, wait a second! Couldn't she be good for me, too?" Touji asked, upset. Hikari, Asuka, and Kensuke glared at him, though Hikari and Kensuke's gazes were pricklier than any she'd ever seen directed at Touji before. Touji spluttered in alarm.
"NO. She's excellent with Kensuke but she'd be just dreadful with you!" Hikari yelled at him. Kensuke nodded.
"You keep your hands off her!" He hollered. Touji backed up with distress. Shinji was chuckling. "You too, Ikari!"
Asuka approved readily. "Ayanami should only be with Kensuke. Don't you even think about her!" Hikari and Kensuke agreed with vehemence. Shinji and Touji exchanged bewildered glances before nodding timidly.
"Um…well, there's always Noriko!" Touji said hopefully, and Kensuke grinned and started listing off how attractive the named girl's features were. Hikari was still glowering at Touji and Asuka continued to stare at Shinji.
"Asuka, lets go to the kitchen to talk about something more seemly." Hikari said forcefully. Asuka nodded and started to get up, but Shinji caught her eyes.
"You can use my room." He suggested, remembering about his earlier offer. Asuka nodded and the girls set down the hall.
"I'm so pissed! He'd better not like Ayanami!" Hikari cried to Asuka, flinging her arm dramatically over her face.
"Yeah! It'd be so awful if either of them liked her! I already had to tell Shinji about this during lunch, I don't want to have to go through that again!" Asuka wailed.
"Oh, I'm so insulted!" Hikari continued. "And you said he liked me?" Hikari's eyes flashed with the most disappointment Asuka had ever seen in them.
"He does!" Asuka assured her friend quickly. "Remember how he looked at you when he first arrived? He was so lovelorn!"
"…Yeah, I suppose he was!" Hikari said hopefully, but decidedly doubtful. Asuka could tell she was still incredibly upset and decided to distract her.
"You'll never guess what happened earlier."
"Huh? Did something terrible happen?" Hikari said, all her attention on Asuka. Asuka smiled to herself, pleased.
"Of course. Shinji-kun and I had a fight." Asuka said easily.
"Nani?" Hikari yelled. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"Duh, Shinji was always in the room!"
Hikari nodded. "But you weren't acting like you had been fighting."
"Yeah, I know. It's kind of weird, isn't it? But we made up pretty quickly, so he might have decided to pretend it didn't happen." Asuka sat down on Shinji's bed. Hikari sat next to her, cross-legged.
"What was the fight about?" Hikari asked quietly.
"I had asked Shinji if I could call you from his room, because I wanted to talk about him to you. Of course, I told him it was a private conversation, not that I was going to talk about him." Asuka started to play with her hair. "He asked me if I was hiding secrets from him because I hated him."
Hikari gasped. "What in all of gods green goodness made him think that?"
Asuka laughed. "Well, anyway. I wanted to hug him but I felt uncomfortable knowing what I know. I told him that we had girly things to discuss but he didn't believe me. He thought I was lying to him because I hate him, but I truly wasn't!" Asuka whispered angrily. "I asked why he would think that but he ignored my question and asked if it was something he'd said at lunch. I'm not sure why he thought it was something from lunch, I thought we had a good conversation!" she sighed, and turned to face the wall. "I asked him again, so he said that I had been going to complain about him to you."
"Does he even think before he speaks? What would you have to complain about?" Hikari hollered.
"Mmmm. He said I had been trying to lie to him earlier about the guy I had a dream about. That's true, in any case; I didn't want him to know it was him I had been thinking about so I lied." Asuka sighed raggedly. "He—these are his exact words--he said 'And now, you're trying so hard to keep up the lies, Asuka. You were going to hug me, but I repulse you so much you can't bear to touch me.'"
"Oh, god Asuka!" Hikari whispered sorrowfully. "That's so sad!"
"He didn't even act like it upset him. I hate it when he pretends nothing matters anymore. It's so painful to see!" She half-sobbed. "I told him I could never be repulsed by him and I was afraid to hug him."
"Were you?"
"Hai. Deathly frightened… Well, Shinji-kun asked why, and I told him it was because he hated me." Asuka covered her eyes with her hand and bit her lip desperately. Hikari started rubbing her back consolingly.
"Oh, Asuka!"
"I ran into the bathroom and locked the door. He tried to get me to open it but I wouldn't, so he got a key." She smiled grimly. "He got me off the floor and told me he didn't hate me. I was so relieved. I can't even…it was so…" she sighed. "Shinji said he could never hate me. Then we hugged." Asuka shrugged. She saw Hikari grin happily.
"That's good!" she said excitedly.
Asuka's smile became genuine. "It was terrific. Then I…asked him never to leave me; he said he wouldn't even if I told him to!"
"Oooh!" Hikari sighed happily. "That sounds really romantic!"
"Incredibly romantic! And he didn't even realize it!" Asuka exclaimed. She straightened up at the thought of what came next. "Then he kissed my neck."
"NANI?" Hikari screamed shrilly. Asuka heard rapid footsteps and the door was flung open by a panting Touji. He across the room and pulled Hikari up from the bed.
"Hikari? Are you alright?" he asked, shaking her a bit with a frantic look in his eyes. Hikari was looking back from him and Asuka quickly, her thoughts most probably conflicted by her friend's news and the desperation with which the boy of her dreams was holding her. Shinji hurried into the room with Kensuke in tow. Shinji was nudging Kensuke, tilting his head at Touji, who was holding both of Hikari's hands urgently. Kensuke grinned. Hikari glanced at Shinji with confusion, then turned back to Touji.
"I'm…I'm okay." She said tenderly, looking up into his eyes from under her eyelashes. Asuka fought the urge to laugh at how much Hikari flirted with Touji, and doubtless not realizing it, too!
"Well…well, that's good." Touji said uncertainly. They both blushed, and suddenly Kensuke was laughing.
"Touji! She's alright! You can let her go now!" Kensuke chuckled. Touji immediately dropped her hands and hurried out of the room, tailed by the other two boys who continued to laugh at his expense. Hikari turned to Asuka, who had closed the door behind them. She looked as if she couldn't make up her mind.
"I…Shinji kissed you?" She whispered intensely.
"Yeah, but just on the neck…twice, actually."
"GEEZ, how could you keep this from me for so long!" Hikari squealed. Asuka fake-punched her.
"I didn't want to!"
"Hai hai! But why is he acting like he did nothing? Are you going out?"
Asuka face faulted. "Of course we're not! He only meant it in a friendly way!"
"Hmm, you keep telling yourself that!" Hikari said evilly.
"Hikari!" Asuka howled. "Of course he meant nothing by it! I don't think he even realizes what he did! Otherwise he'd be acting really nervous and fidgety." Asuka frowned. "He must have done it unconsciously. Maybe his mind had no say in the matter?"
"Wouldn't that mean his body was aching for you?" Hikari nudged her. Asuka blushed.
"Did you see how Touji came running when you screamed? Maybe his body was aching for you! And how he held your hands!" Asuka said innocently. It was Hikari's turn to blush.
"He's so terribly kawaii!" Hikari said spectacularly. "I can't bear to look at him anymore!"
"Do you like anything about him besides his looks? Really, Hikari!" Asuka joked.
Hikari's blush spread. "His compassion."
Asuka sweatdropped. "Nani?"
"He was so concerned I was hurt! And he looks after his sister all the time! And he's just—just—just…completely FANTASTIC!"
Asuka sighed and made herself comfortable. It was going to be a long night.