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" "- Thoughts

' '- Speech

Sometimes, it is only in solitude that we find solace.

Of Tears and Lies

Chapter 2

"Why is it so empty?"

Darkness fell to Earth. The world was destroyed by the Third Impact, stripped of all life and left as a desolate desert, without dreams nor hope. Red clouds loomed over the black sky, casting shadows over the agonizing Earth. The LCD ocean submerged the little that remained, that ocean of life, ocean of blood…

All that remained was emptiness. A strange sense of peace reigned over the apocalyptic scenario, the full moon shone above the night sky, comforting the shattered Earth with its pale light. All that remained was the gigantic head of Lilith, with her angelic whiteness and crinsom eyes, staring, staring to a desolate planet, her face a mixture of surpire and mockery to the destiny that befell humanity. If you can call humanity two 14-year olds.

A brown haired boy lay on the pale sand. Wearing a school uniform, arms stretched, eyes perscrutating the starry sky, mind wandering off to the reality which had escaped him.

"It seems so far away, now…The times when life wasn't such a pain. Even though it was fake, I really thought I was content at that instant of my existence. Everything I felt in that moment, was it real? Was I happy? Yes, I think I was happy. I think…Why am I never sure of what I do? Of what I am?

Third Impact didn't change anything. I felt so empty inside, when I was there. There was everything, thus there was nothing. It didn't feel right. It was just a mass of souls, without thoughts or shape. Ayanami...I guess she was an angel after all. The hope that humanity would finally understand each other. Love. Hope. It's never going to happen, right? I'm alone in this world and no one will help me. Help me, love me, hold me...

Maybe I don't deserve to be happy. I hurt so many people in my life. Toji, Misato-san, Rei, Father, Kensuke, Hikari, heck, even Asuka. I never know what I'm expected to feel, to believe in. It looks like I experienced nothing but bitter memories. That's who I am. That's who I've become…I hate myself. I hate! I hate! I hate! Why am I so weak? Why can't I choose! If I never get stronger, people will always hurt me, abandon me, hate me. 'Cause I'll have no value to them. I will be worthless. That's what Asuka would say. Asuka,

Asuka!"

There she was. Lying by his side. The girl who so utterly despised him, who hated him. Asuka Langley Sohryu. That red-headed demon, why was she the only one left besides him? "Who could've brought her? Not me...Not me, right?" Strange…Just lying there, staring at the sky, bandages covering her right arm and left eye; she seemed somehow fragile. Her red hair falling on her face. So beautiful…

" NO! If I let her stay with me, life will be hell! It's bad enough being alone here, but being with Asuka…NO! She hates me, and she will only hurt me more! She can never understand me, she can never understand my sorrow. The fear of being alone forever. The fear of being rejected!"

Madness slowly crept its way to Shinji's eyes, his dark blue orbs dihalating in the anxiety of killing.

Berserker.

'No more pain, no more pain...' He slowly rose from the comfortable sand, making his way to the red-headed girl who lay next to him. Heads down. Slowly clenching and unclenching his fists, Shinji sat on top of her.

"Kill her! Kill her! Kill her so you won't suffer!"

His hands pressed her neck, choking, strangling her. Rage and grief possessed him, forcing him to break her neck, ever stronger, take away all of Asuka's breath. The girl didn't react, her eyes gazing to the sky. Until-

"Ngh…"A bandaged hand twitched. Blue eyes started to focus on a brown haired boy straddled on top of her.

"Why am I doing this?". Asuka slowly lifted her arm, putting her hand over Shinji's face, caressing him ever so softly. "He was about to kill me." Her hand lingered on his cheek. "Maybe...I don't want to be lonely anymore."

Her hand fell softly to the sand as tears started to drop on her face. Shinji cried, sobbing uncontrollably as tears went down his eyes; his hands felt so weak now. " I can't kill her. Even after all she has done to me, I can't kill her...Why? Why...?"

'I feel sick…' Asuka interrupted him.

Shinji stared at her, mouth agape. Asuka looked back at him, deep into his eyes. Their gazes locked and minutes passed by, but neither one of them noticed. Time itself seemed to slow down to contemplate the two children.

'Why are you crying, baka?'

Asuka tried to lift herself from the ground, but something heavy was preventing her from doing so. She gazed up to Shinji.

'How long do you plan on staying there, Shinji?'

'S-sorry' Shinji mumbled as he got up. Suddenly, Asuka felt cold. Her red plug suit didn't help to keep her body warm, and the wind blew incessantly over her thin frame. As she observed the ruined world, Asuka noticed that she had started shivering. 'Sheist!' she hissed. Trying to warm herself up, Asuka pulled her knees up to her chin and embraced her legs tightly.

"How could this happen to me...? Stuck in this screwed up world, shit, I should have stayed There. At least, it didn't hurt so much." She glanced at Shinji. "Well, at least I'm not alone in this hell. But I don't need him. Not this baka. I don't care about him"

Then why did you touch him?

Asuka glanced at Shinji again. The boy was standing up close to the shore, gazing at the horizon. His dark blue eyes looked so sad, as if all of humanity's burdens were placed on his shoulders. Asuka felt a pang in her heart. She could help him…

'Hey, Shinji.'

Shinji turned his head to her. A frown could be seen in his face.

'What?'

'Why…' Asuka gulped 'why don't you sit n-next to me?'

'H-huh?' He blushed.

'Just come sit next to me, baka!' Asuka was blushing too. 'It's cold after all. And I could use someone as a living heater, you know' Trying to cover her red cheeks, she hid her face on her knees.

Shinji was confused. "Why would she want my company?" The boy repeated to himself as he dragged his feet towards the red-headed girl. Asuka looked so small, so helpless in that fetal position. As if she were trying to escape from pain by hiding herself.

Humans are so sad…

Shinji sat next to her, keeping a safe distance between themselves. He wasn't very sure of what to do. Then he saw her shudder. Tears were sliding down her cheeks as muffled sobs came out.

"Why am I crying…? I promised myself I wouldn't cry anymore. But it hurts so much…"

So alone…

Shinji was afraid. He wanted to comfort her, but he wasn't sure if she would accept it. She hated him, right? She didn't need him, right?

It was all a lie.

"Damn it! Stop being such a wimp, Shinji Ikari and help someone for the first time in your life!" Shinji was still afraid of the girl, but perhaps, if only by a chance, he could help her. He moved himself closer to Asuka. And hugged her.

Asuka tensed. "What is he doing?" The warmth of another body felt so strange to her. As rain upon a desert. But it felt nice, to have someone by her side. Supporting her. Caring for her.

She slowly relaxed as she let her head rest on Shinji's shoulder. The boy gulped, but said nothing.

'What happens to us now, Shinji?' the girl whispered.

'I don't know…When I came out of There, I heard Ayanami saying that if people could imagine themselves by their own, they could return to the Earth and repopulate everything. Then we could find others, and survive until-'

Asuka softly snored besides him. Shinji smiled. "She looks so pretty…" He hugged her closer. A soft sigh of content could be heard. "Maybe we can overcome this."

Where there is life, there is hope-Cicero

Author's Notes: I know it is too freaking short, but I swear: if I get good ideas I will make them much longer people. So give them to me please…Like it? Hate it? Tell me, I'm all ears!