Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion
Chapter 4
Kaji and Shinji speed down the highway in Kaji's convertible in silence for several miles, both wrapped up in their own thoughts: Shinji trying to make sense of what just happened, Kaji trying to figure out how best to explain the situation to Shinji. Kaji gave Shinji a glance out of the corner of his eye then reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. With a deft flick of his wrist he popped one half way out of the soft pack and offered it to Shinji, who gladly took it.
After lighting his cigarette with the car lighter Shinji took a long drag, eyes closed. He exhaled with a great sigh and then turned expectantly to Kaji.
"Shinji," Kaji began with a small sigh, "let me begin by telling you that what happened back there truly was a surprise. I'd be lying if I told you we weren't expecting an attack of that sorts eventually, but we believed we had much more time before they would be able to mobilize."
"Before who would be able to mobilize?" asked Shinji, still irritated.
"They call themselves Aequitas, it's Latin for justice," Shinji snorted at this, but Kaji continued. "Before now they were a small terrorist group who were centered in the United States. They were heavily against the battle with the Angels, believing that they were messengers from God and that we should accept whatever punishment they were here to bestow upon us.
"Despite their violent nature, they were really never anything but a nuisance. They were poorly organized and the U.S. had little trouble putting a stop to the attacks and uprisings that they attempted. Internationally, they were all but unknown.
"However," he continued before Shinji could say anything, "after Third Impact they suddenly became extremely capable. Not only that, but they seemed to have limitless expenses. It was clear to us that someone powerful and influential had taken the helm of their little organization. They started small, causing problems only within the U.S., eventually expanding their horizons and recruiting in other countries.
"When word got out that they had acquired the means to produce an Evangelion Unit the U.N. petitioned NERV's involvement in the matter. We began investigations immediately. One of our agents, God watch over his soul, discovered that, not only did they have the means of producing an Evangelion Unit, but had already created one. He died getting us this information. However, despite this, we were not in a position to take action yet. We had no idea where they were producing these Evangelions, and we thought it would take them a while before they were capable of training a pilot who could hold a candle to Asuka's abilities. Clearly we underestimated them," he concluded with a sigh.
"Is that all?" Shinji asked after a moment of silence.
Kaji nodded, "A general summary, but that's the gist of it."
There was another long silence as Kaji speed through a series of turns. Shinji finished his cigarette and flicked it at the trees that were flying by. They both made an attempt to break the silence at the same time.
"I'm sorry, Shinji, go ahead," Kaji said.
"Right," Shinji acknowledged. He paused for a moment, centering his thoughts, then continued. "Kaji, I want to pilot… well, ha, no. That's not right. I don't want to pilot. But that seems irrelevant now. Asuka needs my help, and I'm not going to let her fight alone again."
"I understand. Are you sure this is your decision, Shinji? We are not forcing you into anything, and we are in the process of acquiring several new Eva units along with pilots in training. If you did not want to do this, Shinji, we would find a way without Unit One," Kaji assured him.
"No, I understand that this is my decision. I'm not leaving Asuka's life in the hands of a couple of rookies. Besides, you'll want more than one veteran in this fight," Shinji said. There was a fierce determination in his tone and it surprised Kaji.
Clearly this isn't the same Shinji that fought the Angels so many years ago, he thought amusedly. Silence once more fell between the two, however, neither felt the need to break it. It was a comfortable silence, each wrapped in his own thoughts.
When Kaji turned onto Shinji's road it brought the young man out of his private reverie. "Kaji," he said, "would you mind taking me to the NERV hospital?"
Kaji gave Shinji a sideways look, a crooked smile on his face. However, he said nothing, for which Shinji was eternally grateful, and spun the car around, taking off towards NERV headquarters, .
They arrived shortly. Shinji got out and began to make his way inside. "Hey, Shinji!" Kaji yelled after him, causing him to turn. "Are you going to need a ride back?" he asked.
"No, I'll find my way," Shinji replied.
"Very well," said Kaji. "But hey, word of advice: be careful Shinji. If she wakes up while you're there I'd be willing to be a month's salary that there'll be hell to pay. She refuses to admit it, but I think you're leaving had a greater affect on her than any of us expected."
Shinji grimaced at this, but smiled and informed Kaji that he'd watch out. He knew as well as anyone the capabilities that the fiery redhead possessed when she was angry. He waved goodbye to Kaji and watched as the red convertible took off at slightly ridiculous speeds.
Shinji turned and made his way through the security checkpoint and through the winding halls that lead to the medical wing of NERV headquarters. When he rounded the corner leading to the rooms he bumped into Dr. Akagi.
"Oh, Shinji!" she exclaimed in surprise.
"Dr. Akagi," he said with a polite smile. "How are you?"
"I'm doing fine. You've grown quite a bit since last time I saw you," she pointed out. A mischievous grin was hinting at the corner of her lips.
"Ha, yeah, I suppose so. Everyone seems to like telling me that," he said, pausing awkwardly afterwards. "Umm, Dr. Akagi, I was here to check up on…"
"Asuka, right?" she asked. "Come on, I'll show you to her room. You can stay as long as you like. She's in stable condition, but she's asleep. I'll have to ask you to be quite when you're in her room. We don't want to upset her."
With a wave of her hand Ritsuko lead Shinji to Asuka's room. Shinji peered through the window and saw that Asuka was hooked up to an IV, but aside from that she seemed to be doing fine. Ritsuko held the door open for Shinji, motioning him inside. When he passed through the doorway she closed the door behind him and made her way to attend to her other duties.
Shinji turned nervously back to the door, not sure whether or not he had expected Dr. Akagi to stay in the room with him. However, with a deep sigh, Shinji summoned the courage to make his way to Asuka. He grabbed the only chair in the room and pulled it up to Asuka's bedside. He sat hunched over with his arms resting on his knees. He sat that way for hours, watching Asuka's sleeping form and hoping that she would wake soon.
A feeling of disgust washed over him as he recalled the last time he was in this position. I really am pathetic, he thought. However, he quickly corrected himself as the image of a single word passed through his head: was.
--
"Unh," she quietly moaned as she opened her eyes to mere slits. "What the hell happened?" she mumbled. A feeling of revulsion washed through her when she realized where she was. She attempted to recall the events that landed her in this much hated room but to no avail.
She lay in the bed, brooding, for several minutes before she noticed the presence of another next to her. Turning her head, she beheld the sleeping figure resting his head on the side of her bed. She paled, realizing who the young man was.
"Argh, what the HELL?!" she screamed. She sat bold upright and dealt a furious blow to the top of the young man's head.
The blow, accompanied with the high-pitched scream, sent Shinji sprawling back into his chair, gently nursing the top of his head.
"IDIOT!" she screamed at him, clearly enraged by his presence. "What the HELL are you doing here?!" she asked. Furry burned in her eyes. A terrible feeling passed through the young woman as she realized she already knew the answer.
"Ow, shit, Asuka! What was that for?" he asked, wincing as he rubbed the now tender spot on his head.
"Answer my question! What the hell are you doing here? And better yet, where the hell have you been the past six years?!" she yelled. It was plainly evident that she was not about to calm down anytime soon.
"I'm here because you're in the hospital, and as for the past six years, well, it's a long story," he explained, trying to dodge the question for the time being.
Asuka forcefully threw herself back onto her pillow, hands over her eyes. Shinji sat there quietly watching her; keeping a knowing lookout for any signs of another violent outburst. Finally, Asuka pulled her hands away from her face and let them fall limply at her sides. She turned to Shinji, and the expression on her face was quite contrary to the one he had expected.
"You saved me again, didn't you?" she asked. Her face was blank, and the tone in her voice suggested a gloomy acceptance of the answer she already knew was coming.
Shinji was slow to answer, knowing that he was treading on thin ice with his fiery friend. "Asuka," he began, "do you remember anything of the fight?"
Asuka simply shook her head, waiting for him to continue.
"You were deployed with no intelligence what-so-ever, including the location of the enemy. All we had was a general idea". He paused again to collect his thoughts, then continued his careful explanation. "There were two of them, even headquarters was not aware. They were Evas, but they didn't resemble ours. They had the appearance of the Evangelion production models that you fought during Third Impact".
Asuka's eyes widened slightly, but she said nothing. When Shinji was sure she wasn't going to interject he went on. "You were only aware of the one. If you had known there were two there's no doubt in my mind that you would have been fully capable of handling the situation on your own," Shinji added, hoping to play on his friend's ego. "The second Evangelion attacked you from behind. We regained a satellite visual shortly after. They had you pinned and it looked like they were getting ready to tear your Eva apart. That's when I had Kaji send me out in Unit One. I caught them by surprise… they had pilots, Asuka. They were just kids, like we were when we started off".
"So, I assume that you took them out shortly after, then?" Asuka asked. Shinji nodded apprehensively. However, the angry expression on Asuka's face was replaced by that of a ponderous one, and the explosion Shinji was waiting for never came. With a sigh, she looked at Shinji and muttered the last two words he had expected to hear from her mouth. "Thank you," she said reluctantly.
Shock briefly froze Shinji, but he quickly recovered, simply acknowledging her thanks with a nod.
There was an awkward silence in the room for several minutes. Asuka was the one to break it. "So, six years… how did it feel getting back in the cockpit?" she asked, a forced smirk on her face.
Shinji chuckled at this, well aware of the effort the fiery redhead was putting into her calm demeanor. "I wont lie, I wasn't overly thrilled about having to pilot again. Didn't have much of a choice though. I wasn't there for you last time, and I've regretted it every day since. I wasn't going to let history repeat itself… I couldn't let them hurt you again," he said solemnly.
His answer briefly shocked Asuka, but she quickly regained her composure. "So, are you here for good?" she asked.
"For good," he answered with a warm smile.
"Are… are you going to pilot again?" she questioned him cautiously.
Shinji thought he detected a veiled hopefulness in her question, but quickly discarded the idea. He smiled at her, this time slightly mischievously. "Yeah, I think I am. Kaji said that these two weren't the only ones out there. Apparently their expecting an army of sorts. I can't let you face that alone, despite your obvious, world-renowned talents. Besides, I figured that no army in the world could stand against the two of us. The greatest pilot in the world and the kid with more dumb-luck than anyone on this planet: what chance do they have?" he asked humorously.
Asuka let out a small chuckle at this, much to Shinji's delight, and was quick to agree with him. "You are lucky, I'll give you that. At least on the battlefield that is. The 'Invincible Shinji'. Now all we have to do is work on that spine of yours," she added with an evil smirk.
"Oh really?" he asked, faking offence. "I think you'll find my spine quite a bit more sturdy than last we met. I might even be a match for you now!"
His comment elicited a full-hearted laugh from Asuka, which Shinji thought made her glow all the brighter. "Oh, is that right?" she countered. "Well, we'll just have to see about that, Third Child. Now, find me a doctor and help me get the hell out of here. I've had enough of this place to last a lifetime, and I'm sure you have as well," she said, sitting up.
Shinji nodded and made his way out of the room to find one of the many doctors. It just so happened that the first one he found was Dr. Akagi.
"Rits… er, Dr. Akagi!" he called after her. Ritsuko turned expectantly to Shinji, a polite smile on her face that, although Shinji thought out of place, he believed looked good on her.
"Asuka's awake. She's wanting to get out of here as soon as possible. I was wondering, if you have time that is, if you or another doctor could do the final check so that she can get out of here," he explained.
"Sure, Shinji. It just so happens I have time now," she replied, making her way down the hall to Shinji. It's good to see that, despite all the positive changes he's gone through, he hasn't lost that polite side of his, she thought.
They made their way silently down the hall for a while before Ritsuko's playful side got the better of her. "So, how did it go?" she asked with an expectant smirk on her face.
"It went… well, surprisingly," Shinji responded.
Dr. Akagi looked mildly surprised by this. "Really? She didn't yell and scream and attempt to end your life?"
"Well, she started to, but then out of nowhere she calmed down and asked me to recount what happened. She took it incredibly well, considering who we're talking about. After that, we just kinda… talked, I guess," he explained, just as surprised as Ritsuko by the lack of violence their encounter had. "She did give me a wicked smack to the head right after she woke up though. I've got the bump to prove it," he said with a grin on his face, tilting his head forward and rubbing the sore area to show Ritsuko.
The blonde doctor laughed lightly, a sound Shinji wasn't quite used to hearing, but liked nonetheless. "Well, I guess that's to be expected. Come on, I have a feeling I might need backup when I go in there. Seeing as how you two are so friendly with each other at the moment you might prove quite useful."
With that last comment the two made their way into Asuka's room. The redhead was still sitting up in her bed, staring out the window. When she heard them enter she turned to regard the two as they made their way to her side. Shinji was shocked, only mildly mind you, to see the venom in the girl's face when she noticed which doctor he had brought.
"Dr. Akagi," Asuka acknowledged calmly, quite contrary to the look on her face. Shinji looked at the doctor standing next to him and was impressed by the calm expression gracing her features, despite the fact that the animosity Asuka felt towards Ritsuko was quite palpable.
"Asuka," Ritsuko responded, accompanied with a polite nod. "Shinji says you're feeling well enough to go home. Let me run a few quick checks, but I see no reason to keep you here. You were in a fairly stable condition when you came in to begin with".
Asuka nodded stiffly, allowing Ritsuko to quietly go about her work. At one point during her examination Shinji was sure he saw Asuka shoot him an angry glare, but it was fleeting, as Ritsuko once again drew Asuka's attention back to her.
"Well, Asuka, everything looks good. Go home and get some rest. If you don't mind, I'd like to have Shinji accompany you home," said Ritsuko.
"Why?! I'm perfectly capable of getting home on my own, I don't need that idiot's help!" Asuka stated vehemently.
At this Shinji saw Ritsuko's calm composure break for the slightest of moments before she let out a sigh and attempted to placate the young woman before her. "There is no doubt in my mind, Asuka, that you would be fine on your own. However, you've been in bed for almost an entire day and I simply thought that it might be nice to have some company on your way home. Besides, I figured you and Shinji still had quite a bit of catching up to do. Not to mention that it would make everyone, including Shinji I assume, a little more comfortable if they knew I didn't just send you on your way after being in the hospital all day," Ritsuko explained patiently.
Asuka sat there fuming for a while, but eventually seemed to accept Ritsuko's explanation. Getting up from her bed, she stared expectantly at her company. When neither made any move to leave she glared furiously at them. "Get out of here! What are you waiting for, a show? I can't change with you two in the room!" she yelled.
Shinji and Ritsuko exchanged an amused look before making their way out of the room.
"Well," Shinji said with a wide grin, "it's good to see that she hasn't changed too much".
Ritsuko smiled back at him. "I don't think you'll have to worry about that. That one'll always be as stubborn and fiery as ever. I suggest you wait here until she comes out," the woman said. "After all, I wasn't joking when I said I had a feeling you two still have quite a bit of catching up to do".
"Right," Shinji agreed. The doctor waved goodbye and made her way down the hall. Shinji waited for what seemed like forever for Asuka to change. He was about to knock on the door when it swung open and Asuka stood in front of him in a pair of tight khaki shorts and a form fitting long-sleeved T-shirt, looking slightly less irritated than she had when Ritsuko was with them.
"Come on, lets go," she commanded, grabbing Shinji's arm and leading him in the opposite direction of Ritsuko.
The two walked for a while, Asuka dragging Shinji along behind her. The young man couldn't help but grin at the wave of nostalgia that washed over him.
When they finally reached the surface and walked through the security terminal Shinji forced the girl to slow up. "Hey, Asuka, come on lets slow down a bit, okay. You're going to yank my arm off if you continue dragging me along at your pace," Shinji pleaded.
"Well keep up then, baka," Asuka said. However, despite her comment she let go of Shinji's arm and slowed to a more casual pace. The two walked in silence for quite a while before Shinji could no longer bear it. "Hey, Asuka, where are we going?" he asked. "I just realized that I have no idea where you live anymore".
Asuka grinned at this. "You'll see. I promise you'll like it," she stated confidently. Shinji rolled his eyes at this. Knowing Asuka he was quite sure that the place would be quite over-the-top for a single person.
After they walked for about a mile and a half, chatting casually about the situation they now found themselves in (after all, they fought the Angels, how hard could these Evangelions piloted by amateur kids be?) Asuka grabbed Shinji's hand and turned down a heavily wooded street. Shinji looked around him as they walked, but all he could see were trees and the small paved road in front of them.
"Is there a subdivision way back here?" he asked.
"Nope," Asuka stated proudly. "I own all of this. Nice, huh?"
"Yeah, I'm impressed," stated Shinji sincerely. However, this just further enhanced his theory that Asuka's house was going to be blown out of proportions.
However, when they stepped into the small clearing Shinji found that his predictions could not have been further off.
Asuka's house was a two-story grey brick house that, although not small by any means, was nowhere near the size Shinji had been expecting. It had no exterior shutters and a comfortable looking front porch with a rocking chair and a swing.
When they made their way up to the standard looking white front door Shinji couldn't keep himself from making a crack about the swing on the porch. "So umm, Asuka, don't take this the wrong way, your house is beautiful, but exactly how old are you?" he asked playfully.
Asuka, keys in the door, turned to look at Shinji quizzically. However, when she saw him staring at the porch swing she frowned at him. "Idiot," she said, punching him lightly on the side of his head; an act that elicited an innocent grin from Shinji. "I'll have you know that I happen to like the porch swing. It's the second best place to read in the house. Now come on," she said, opening the door, "I'll give you the grand tour".
When they stepped inside Shinji noticed that Asuka hadn't held back when it came to decorating. The house had a very modern look to it, most of the furniture being very lightly colored and of an odd shape. Shinji had always thought that that style of decorating made a place look too sterile for him, but Asuka had done an excellent job of giving it a homey touch. Red (of course) pillows and cushions were everywhere, and she had pictures of one person or another on most of the tables and above the gas fireplace mantle. Most of the people in those photos Shinji didn't recognize; however, the biggest one, just above the mantle, was of Misato with her arms around her two former charges: both of whom looked less than thrilled to be in the picture.
"Awww, Asuka, I didn't know you cared," Shinji stated teasingly.
Asuka followed his gaze to the picture then rolled her eyes. "Shut up," she said with mock irritation. However, despite their mutual levity Shinji's continuos joking had caught her off guard. He wasn't kidding when he said he'd changed over the years, she thought, he certainly has grown a spine. He seems to be more comfortable with others as well as himself too. She let Shinji explore her living room and look through the photos she had everywhere, all the while keeping her eyes on her old companion. He's grown into quite the fine young specimen as well, she continued her reverie. However, she quickly reprimanded herself for this last thought. Careful, you still have no idea how much he's changed, she thought.
The two made their way through the house, most of which was furnished in a similar fashion to the living room. The bedroom, on the other hand, was of a much simpler and more comfortable design. There was a soft looking cast iron king-sized bed with a red comforter and red pillows, as well as a cushioned bench built into the westward facing window. Asuka proudly flaunted her closet which, as was to be expected, was a walk-in that spanned the entire length of the room and was filled end to end with clothes and shoes.
When the two were making their way to the back yard, where Shinji could already see a rather large swimming pool, they passed by a large pair of closed double doors that oddly caught Shinji's attention. As they walked by Shinji tried one of the knobs, only to find the room locked.
"What's in there?" he asked curiously.
"Oh, that room. Best for last, Shinji, be patient," the young woman said sweetly, accompanying her honey tone with a flirtatious wink.
They made their way through the glass doors and onto Asuka's back patio, which was now bathed in the setting sun. Asuka clearly made sure that her back patio was party-ready at all times. She had a large gas grill on the right as soon as you walked out and on the left was a rather large patio set. A washers set and a bags set were propped up under the overhang right next to the patio furniture. To the east, on the other side of the swimming pool, she had a beach volleyball court and on the west was a pick-nick table with a hammock tied between two trees right next to it.
Shinji let out a low whistle. "Well, I must say Asuka, I am impressed. You're clearly ready for anything," he said to the girl beside him, who was beaming with obvious pride. "However, I'm still very curious about those locked doors."
Asuka gave a heavy, playful sigh, and accompanied it with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. "Very well," she said, as if she were giving in to a ridiculous request, "I suppose it's time to show you what's behind those doors. But you better feel pretty honored about this, Shinji. I don't let just anyone in that room. Too many delicate things rest behind those doors."
Making her way back through the sliding glass doors Asuka pulled out her keys and unlocked the large double-doors. "Are you ready, Shinji?" she asked, giving the boy a sideways look over her shoulder.
"Of course. After all, I've fought Angels, what could possibly behind those doors that would surprise me?" he asked good-humouredly.
Asuka nodded, pushing the doors open in front of her and making her way into the room. As soon as the doors opened Shinji was awestruck.
Before him sat a studio-grade mixer board, and above it was a window of soundproof glass. Following Asuka through the door into the room on the other side he saw that the walls were lined with acoustic soundproof panels. In one corner sat a simple drum set with a jazz setup and a bass amp with a '64 Fender Jazz bass sitting on a stand next to it. A little distance away a Marshall half-stack sat with a Gibson Les Paul Classic resting next to it. In the middle of the room was a condenser mic and in the other corner rested an electric grand piano.
Asuka was glowing with pride as she watched Shinji marvel at her personal studio. However, when his eyebrows scrunched into a confused, searching frown her smile slightly vanished. "What's up?" she inquired.
"This is incredible, Asuka," he said honestly. "But where's your violin?"
Asuka almost gave a sigh of relief when she realized what he was looking for (after all, it would go a long way to pissing her off if he thought her studio wasn't good enough). "You didn't seriously think I got rid of it, did you?" she called over her shoulder as she made her way to the other side of the piano and pulled her violin with an external pickup attached out from behind it.
Shinji smiled when he saw her instrument. "Well, then, I guess the only thing this room is really lacking is a cello, huh?" he asked.
"You bet," she exclaimed excitedly. "Bring it on over."
"I will. This place is really amazing, Asuka. Makes me feel a little silly about having gotten a simple apartment," Shinji said.
"Yeah, that was a little foolish," Asuka agreed. Then, after a brief moment of silence, said, "Hey, tomorrow's Saturday and I haven't got anything to do. I'll be damned if I go into NERV on one of my off days unless there's an emergency. Why don't you show me your apartment?" she suggested. Then, unable to keep her mischievous side in check added, "Unless you're embarrassed about it, of course".
Shinji adopted a look of mock defensiveness. "Of course not, my tiny apartment is every bit as impressive as your amazing house with a pool and a studio. Only thing is, it'll be quite a long walk in the opposite direction. We won't reach my house before sundown," he pointed out.
"Not a problem," Asuka stated excitedly. "I happen to have a very nice form of transportation". With that Asuka grabbed Shinji's hand and led him out to the garage.
Once again, Shinji was awed with what he saw. To begin with, the walls were lined with tools, and a tool chest that blew his out of the water was sitting right next to the door. In the middle, however, sat something that impressed him more than that: a red '68 Pontiac Firebird convertible with the top down.
"You've got to be kidding me," Shinji said. He walked around the car and gave another low whistle, clearly impressed by what he saw. "This is amazing, Asuka."
"I know," she said proudly. "Did most of the work on myself, I might add."
"You did? That's impressive. Well, come on, don't keep me waiting. Lets go!" Shinji said, hopping in the car without opening the door.
Asuka laughed amusedly and opened the garage door. Before it even reached the top she speed out in reverse all the way back down her long, paved driveway and into the street. Kicking it into gear, Asuka peeled off in the direction Shinji had indicated his apartment to be.
When they arrived Shinji was a little flustered. "Holy shit, Asuka! Who taught you how to drive, Misato?!" he asked breathlessly.
"Of course, who else? I could only get Kaji to give me a couple of lessons. Besides, she was still my guardian, so it was her duty," she explained, putting the top up before hopping out of the car.
Shinji got out after her, recalling that the last time he was so relieved to feel solid ground under his feet was the last time he had ridden in a car with Misato. He led Asuka up to his apartment and opened the door, kicking off his shoes and announcing his presence.
"Old habits die hard, huh?" Asuka asked, following Shinji inside his apartment and likewise removing her shoes.
"Ha, yeah, I suppose they do," Shinji replied good naturedly.
He wasted no time in showing Asuka around his apartment. Not that there's much to show after that display, he thought. When he finished his grand tour he invited Asuka to take a seat out on the patio. He offered her a beer, which she gladly accepted. When he made his way out with a six-pack of Yebisu in hand he couldn't help but laugh at the disappointed look on Asuka's face.
"Okay, come on. I may drive like Misato, but you cant seriously think you adopting her drinking habits is any better," she said disgustedly.
This comment elicited a laugh from Shinji. "Give me a little credit, you don't seriously think I bought this swill, do you? Misato had my fridge stocked with this crap as a housewarming gift. I didn't have much choice, and I'm not gonna let beer go to waste," he said in defense.
Asuka sighed as she popped open the can that Shinji handed her. "I suppose you're right," she begrudgingly agreed.
After Shinji popped open his own can he reached into his pocket and pulled out one of his cigarettes and deftly lit it in a fluid, practiced motion. He closed his eyes and took a long drag from his smoke. When he opened them he was greeted by a look from Asuka that he knew all too well. He quickly prepared himself for the storm.
"You IDIOT!" she yelled at him, snapping her arm across the table to steal Shinji's cigarette from his mouth. He pulled back in time, but just barely. Asuka succeeded in knocking the cherry off his cigarette, causing Shinji to relight it. "You jackass!" she continued her rant, "how could you have started smoking?! This is by far one of the most stupid things I've ever seen you do. You really are trying to be like Misato, aren't you?" she asked angrily.
Shinji sighed. Should have seen that one coming, he thought to himself. "I didn't start because of Misato. To be honest, I'm not quite sure why I started. I think I started doing it just when I drank and it just became a regular habit," he explained.
"Then quit," she commanded, as if it were that simple.
"It's not quite that easy Asuka. They don't call it a habit for no reason," he pointed out.
"Fine then, give me one," she said.
"What? Why, so you can toss it over the balcony?" he asked.
"No, so I can smoke one," she stated, as if it should have been obvious.
"You smoke?" he asked, surprised by her statement.
"No, but if you're going to then I don't see any reason why I shouldn't," she reasoned.
"No way, uhuh. I'm not going to give you a cigarette just so you can pick up this gross habit," he said adamantly.
"Hipocrite. If you think it's gross then why do you smoke?" she asked, clearly proud with her logic.
Shinji sighed, realizing he wasn't going to win this one. "Look, can we just drop it for now? I'll keep it to a minimum," he promised.
"Fine," Asuka responded. "But don't think you've heard the last from me on this subject, Third Child," she said sternly, putting emphasis on Shinji's old title.
"Wouldn't dream of it," he said, taking another drag and blowing the smoke out in a succession of rings.
Asuka watched as the rings floated away, trying to hide the fact that she was impressed. However, she quickly gave in. "Okay, I'll admit, that was kinda cool," she said. "But don't for a second think that this means I'm okay with you smoking," she added quickly.
Shinji simply smiled at her and chuckled. Asuka was surprised, and slightly unnerved, by how easily Shinji's smile affected her now. The two old housemates talked long into the night, sipping beer the whole while. Shinji recounted his "adventures" in Europe and told Asuka of his current plans for the future; "'current' being the key word" he made sure to add, as they were now slightly up in the air because of the Eva's once again .
Asuka countered with what she had been doing since he left. He was surprised at how busy she had stayed. She told him that she had been attending college the whole time. She had gotten a second bachelor's degree in audio production and was working on getting her masters in violin performance. Shinji marveled at her drive and intensity.
Their conversation eventually turned their respective love lives. Shinji told her a little about the girl from Japan coincidentally happened to meet while in Ireland, Mana. Despite Asuka's mischievous prying Shinji insisted that the relationship hadn't gone anywhere. Asuka then told him about the staggeringly long list of guys she had briefly dated while he was gone, none of whom were "man enough for her". This proclamation came as no surprise to Shinji.
As the night wound on and the conversation started to slowly die due to their weariness and increasing inebriation Shinji began working up his courage. The young man rose from his seat, catching Asuka's attention, and gave her the most sincere, innocent look he could muster; knowing full well how his question might go over, even if she was slightly drunk.
"Hey, Asuka," he began, somewhat nervously to Asuka's obvious amusement. "It's three in the morning. We've been drinking all night so, umm… why uh, why don't you just stay the night here. The couch pulls out into a bed, and I've got some extra blankets and pillows. I'm sure you'll enjoy that more than the cot I still sleep on," he added, trying to show that he was trying to be a good host. Even in the dark it was easy to see the red hue taking over his face.
Asuka's eyes widened at this, and she was sure that her face was just as red. However, she quickly regained her composure before smoothly responding. "I don't know Shinji. Are you sure that's a good idea?" she asked, secretly hoping he wouldn't back down, and mentally kicking herself every inch of the way for it.
"It's okay. Besides, we've both been drinking, and not that I think you couldn't make it home," he added, knowing full well Asuka's volatile temperament and not wanting to blow it by saying something stupid to offend her. "I just think it would be safer. Besides, it's not like we didn't live together for a year and a half anyway, right?" he said, hoping his logic would convince her.
Asuka sat there pretending to think it over before agreeing to his offer with what she hoped came across as reluctance. "Alright, I suppose you have a point," she said, standing up and making a show of yawning. When she stretched she was positive that she caught Shinji staring at her body out of the corner of her eye. This brought a smile to the corner of her mouth. Bringing her arms back down and folding them over her chest, Asuka adopted an "I mean business" stance before shooting Shinji a warning. "But listen, my 'Invincible' friend, just because I agree to staying here doesn't mean I couldn't make it home perfectly fine. And I better not catch you trying anything perverted, you hear me?" she said sternly.
Shinji's face broke into a wide grin and he threw his hands up in a show of innocence. "Come on, you know me, I wouldn't dream of it!" he defended himself.
"Yeah, right. Just like you didn't try and kiss me the night before we battled our second angel together," she threw out over her shoulder as she made her way inside to the couch and began removing the cushions. Shinji simply laughed as he followed her in and helped her prepare the couch-bed.
After Shinji got the bed ready Asuka came out of his room wearing the oversized T-shirt Shinji had given her to sleep in. The redhead made her way over to the side of the bed and pulled the covers back. Turning to Shinji, who she assumed was still standing next to her to make sure that the arrangements were satisfactory, she said with a bright smile on her face, "Thanks, Shinji. You did a very good job."
Shinji blushed and smiled back. "I… it was nothing. I'd do anything for you Asuka," he said. However, as soon as the words left his mouth he regret blurting them out. That was reckless, Shinji, he thought, it's a little early for that.
However, if his words bothered Asuka then she showed no sign of it. Leaning up to the young man who was now taller than her she gave him a warm kiss on the cheek before climbing into the bed he had prepared.
"Night, Shinji. Thanks again," she said before rolling over and closing her eyes.
"Goodnight, Asuka. I'll see you in the morning. Hell, maybe I'll even have breakfast ready," he said happily before turning the light off and making his way to his room. He took off his shirt and crashed on his bed, not even bothering to take his pants off.
However, despite how weary the two young adults were, they both struggled to get to sleep. Each was kept up by a torrent of thoughts that would not abate. Both Shinji and Asuka were shocked by how comfortable it had been to spend so much time with the other; and they both stayed up wondering what the implications were of the night that had just transpired.
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Authors note: Hey, sorry it took so long. I'll attempt to update more frequently. I hope you enjoyed. Please Read and Review