REMINDER: Rating=M
Definitions:
Glomp - v. not sexual, it is the action of one person lovingly (and dramatically) attacking another with a hug.
Chapter 07
01.11.2009
Ikari Shinji arrived home with a headache.
Life had been simple the last few weeks, so his brain had gotten soft. It wasn't used to the current exercise it was getting.
Round and round Shinji's mind circled. What did he want for dinner? Did he resent his father's latest orders or was he just feeling inadequate? Was that really a mole on Asuka's back?
It did not help that Ayanami, who walked part of the way home with him, had kept staring at his face and making cryptic remarks about a camera, a book, and Commander Ikari being a genius.
When he finally opened the door to their apartment, he was tired and craving a pain pill. The headache was now a monster hammering on his temples and his entire right flank, despite being bathed and treated for minor burns, was now throbbing horribly.
He heard the redhead humming to herself in the living room and thought – it was nice to be home.
He took off his shoes, donned slippers, and called out, "Asuka? Hikari?"
"Ikari-kun, you're early," said Hikari from the kitchen, "Wait just a sec and I'll be out."
The teenager entered the living room and grinned at Asuka, he was looking forward to her greeting. But instead of glomping him like she usually did, the redhead stopped humming, pointedly turned her back on Shinji, then went to sit by the window.
Hikari came out drying her hands on a towel and sighed at the scene.
"She remembers..." the boy whispered, eyes very wide. He couldn't help it, a sliver of dread shivered down his spine; followed very quickly by just a little bit of disappointment -- he wanted to check out the mole.
"Does she hate me so much now she can't stand to look at me?"
"It's not that," Hikari explained, hiding a smile at Shinji's stricken expression, "I think she's – will you stop looking over your shoulder!"
"I hope she's not hiding a weapon..."
"Ikari-kun! Stop that and listen to me."
"I'm listening! I just want a big piece of furniture between us so it's harder for her to..."
Hikari laughed then, "A sofa's not going to stop her if she really wants to get to you."
"You think so? Maybe I should disappear for a few days..."
"Shinji, she's angry at you for leaving this morning without letting her know."
"That's all? She's not just biding her time planning how to hurt me?"
Hikari threw up her hands at his denseness, "She doesn't remember, idiot. She woke up, you weren't around. Now she's mad."
"Hey, don't call me idiot. Asuka calls me idiot," then he grasped what she said and whined defensively, "But she was asleep."
"Well, she threw quite a tantrum and trashed the place looking for you. I've only finished cleaning up. I had to drag her from the doorway to stop her from going out. Then I had to ply her with sweets and help her throw her – er, water balloons," Hikari blushed, "out the window so she'd stop tearing up."
"She cried?"
"Um, leaked... and got all violent is probably more accurate."
"Oh," Shinji ran a hand through his hair, suddenly feeling wearier than when he arrived, "I guess if she's still mad at me I'll let her cool off for a bit." He looked at Asuka determinedly staring out the window. He wanted to go talk to her but was still a bit scared to do so. "Hikari, you don't have to leave yet, right? Can you stay a few more hours? I feel in need of a walk."
Shinji headed for the door after Hikari nodded understandingly. He was putting on his shoes and wondering where he should go when he heard Hikari say in an alarmed voice, "Wait! Asuka! He's just..."
Then Shinji found himself being pushed forcibly, shoes and all, through the living room and onto the couch by an irate looking redhead.
He blinked up at her in surprise.
She glowered down at him.
Then she bent and removed his shoes and threw them viciously against the wall. The loud thwack of rubber against wood put a satisfied smirk on Asuka's face. She looked at Shinji one last time, turned up her nose at him, and went to sit by the window again.
"Ah, Ikari-kun?" Shinji, who was about to stand up, sat quickly down again at Asuka's warning look. "I think I should go now."
"Okay, same time tomorrow?" he said weakly from the couch, "Misato-san says I need to show up this whole week."
"Yes, I'll be here. But you need to think of a way to convince Asuka to let you go tomorrow. I don't think you should sneak out."
"Uh, yeah. Thanks. Bye."
The door shut behind Hikari and silence descended on the two occupants. Asuka was looking out the window still obviously ignoring him and Shinji, not knowing what to make of her actions, kept silent unable to think of a thing to say. Apparently she didn't want him standing up either, so he couldn't very well go to her like he wanted to.
Shinji sighed tiredly and laid his head on the couch - his life's constants were disappearing one by one.
And just when he was getting used to them, too.
Ayanami wanted a camera, of all things. She had smiled at him and patted him on the head, radiating sympathy (or was it pity?), before parting ways.
Ikari Gendo wanted him to continue school. Shinji wasn't sure if the manipulative bastard's intentions were pure but it sounded nice. Something a father would do. He figured there was nothing wrong with dreaming. Nobody would ever know.
Then there was Asuka, who'd always been weird. What didn't she want to remember? Or rather, what did she want to forget?
Shinji stretched, getting comfortable. He shot the redhead a furtive glance – she was still staring out the window – and wondered how he'd explain to her about having to leave tomorrow. Shinji decided sleepily that he had reached new depths of... patheticness (was that even a word?) today. After all, he was getting the silent treatment from someone who was, well, silent to begin with. How ironically low was that?
He slumped deeper into the cushions and closed his eyes. He needed to leave tomorrow, how was he going to convince her that he was coming back?
And with that question, Shinji finally fell asleep.
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Several hours later, Shinji woke up to grunting and groaning. He opened his eyes and blinked. Something about the moaning sounds issuing from the television was giving him goosebumps and he realized he was facing the couch's backrest and someone had put a blanket on him. His burnt side was still throbbing but the pain was tolerable.
Gingerly, Shinji moved to face the television, just in time to see Asuka look down her shirt.
Completely floored, he watched her hold her collar open, eyes darting to the screen and then back down to her own front. A thoughtful look crossed her face.
Unable to help himself, Shinji tittered.
Asuka would have turned around then but the man on television suddenly dropped his pants (he wasn't wearing any underwear) and Asuka's eyes riveted to the screen; a hand frozen on her shirt and mouth opened wide in a surprised 'Oh'.
Shinji started laughing. "We've been looking for that for ages," he said. Kensuke had heard a rumor from a very reliable source that Misato-san was paying monthly for a secret channel. They had spent three weeks searching for it in vain. One night of watching television unsupervised and Asuka found it.
"Asuka," Shinji moved to sit beside her on the floor, "you shouldn't be watching that."
Asuka's attention shifted from the screen to the boy beside her. Shinji detected a certain intentness to her gaze. He started backing up onto the side of the couch, "Oh no, don't get any ideas!"
Asuka tilted her head and grinned.
Shinji smiled back at her uncertainly.
Asuka went for his pants.
"Stop that!" Shinji slapped the redhead's hands away.
Asuka frowned at him.
"No, I'm serious."
She pushed him down and straddled him, and went for his zipper again.
Shinji held onto his fly and shook his head, "No."
Asuka started unbuttoning his shirt.
"Asuka, stop it!" Shinji hissed closing his shirt.
And Asuka went after his pants again.
"Cut it out!"
Asuka stopped, glared at him, then gave him a sad look.
"That's not going to work because we can't. You'd kill me! Understand?"
The redhead made herself comfortable on top of Shinji and then with a quick pull she took off her top.
"Unhhh..." Shinji blubbered, and stared at Asuka's naked chest inches from his nose. She leaned forward to study his face closely and her chest bobbed gently with the movement.
"Unhhh..." Shinji said again. He slumped bonelessly to the side of the couch and promptly lost his battle with his erection.
The redhead looked delighted when Shinji relaxed. She felt his defeat between her legs and curiously patted his crotch.
"Asuka..." he moaned desperately, "Please..."
She unbuttoned Shinji's pants and unzipped them. Then she reached under his waistband. His erection sprang into her hands.
"Ahhh..." Shinji groaned.
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Asuka Langley Soryu was completely hooked. She listened delightedly to the sounds Shinji was making and laughed a happy laugh.
She understood that he was enjoying what she was doing and it gave her a sense of power that she could do that much for him.
Then Shinji shuddered and emitted a particularly loud groan like he was in pain. Asuka stopped, not quite sure now if she was harming him. He had an expression on his face that was a cross between a smile and a grimace.
She looked at Shinji lying limply on the floor. His eyes were closed and he was breathing fast. Asuka cupped his cheeks with both hands and shook his face gently. The boy opened his eyes and smiled at her. Then he scrambled weakly away, mildly surprised that she let him.
He fixed his clothes and, spying Asuka's shirt on the floor, picked it up and handed it to her still without looking. He felt her take it. After a few minutes, Shinji looked over his shoulder. Asuka was dressed but had the most dejected look on her face.
Shinji sighed and kneeled in front of Asuka. "Hey, don't be sad," he said, and waited for her to face him. "I would love to. Honestly. But you don't really... I mean, I do but..." he faltered.
Asuka was listening to him, apparently trying to understand but still looking sad. Shinji thought hard about how to explain to the redhead that he wasn't really rejecting her.
He was surprised when Asuka leaned forward again and started massaging the frown lines on his forehead. Her fingertips felt cool on his skin.
Shinji squirmed and started to feel hot again. Only this time it had nothing to do with Asuka's chest, or her mole, or her usual state of undress, and had everything to do with the concerned look on her face and the serious way she was trying to soothe him.
He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. When she eventually stopped, Shinji opened his eyes and stared at Asuka as if seeing her for the first time.
She studied his expression, looked shy for a few seconds, then she smirked and flicked his bangs.
Shinji matched her smirk and chucked her on the chin, "Oi, you don't scare me so badly anymore." Asuka grinned at him and tried to bite his thumb.
"Heh? So you're still up for it!" Asuka tilted her head at him, brows quirking. Then her gaze dropped to his lips and smouldered.
Shinji shivered and stood up, pulling Asuka up with him. "Listen," he told her seriously, "I'm holding you to this. Understand?" Asuka neither nodded nor shook her head. She just stared. "I mean, after all this is over, if you forget, I'm going to remind you."
Asuka put both hands on Shinji's shoulders. Then she leaned up to Shinji, meeting him halfway as he bent his head and kissed her.
Deeply. And satisfyingly.
When he felt Asuka's legs buckle, Shinji released her.
He grinned at her expression. He had made a decision. He would stick with it.
Shinji grabbed Asuka's hand and pulled her to his room.
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Together inside Shinji's room, it wasn't all smooth sailing.
In the middle of everything, Shinji stopped and dragged himself out of the room. Then he paced back and forth outside the door until Asuka came to get him.
Shinji resisted her for a few seconds, then he pulled her back into the room.
This happened several times in the next hour until finally, frustrated, Asuka pushed Shinji's desk in front of the door.
They had no more problems after that.
Deep into the night and on to early morning, Shinji and Asuka stayed in the room.
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A/N: Sorry for the use of the non-word 'patheticness.' I was guilty at first for using it but after someone so nicely gave several suggestions in a review, I realized that I'm actually happy with my use of 'patheticness.' In other words, my original decision for Shinji to use a non-existent word and not overly care about it was right. So no more misgivings. Of course, if someone does come up with a better word I'd still be grateful. Remember, I need a noun not an adjective. And I've also looked extensively in the dictionary and online. Anyway, thanks for reading (I am awed by the amount of hits O_o) and thank you for the nice reviews. I hope everyone's enjoying so far.