"H-hey…Shinji…" she stammers, her face matching her hair.
She hates his help.
"S-sure, I'll do it." He stammers, his eyes firmly planted on his feet.
Actually, she hates asking for his help.
"Uh. Thanks." She says, an awkward silence in front of them, finally, the ringing of the bell tells them lunch is over.
Saved by the bell.
She is the great Asuka Langley Sohryu, child prodigy, Elite pilot (at least in the arcades), Savior of mankind (And in the world of online MORPGs The Red Knight of the Holy Flame, Defender of the Realm, Duchess of the Border Marches, and crown princess of Germania) She was supposed to be above this, how could she have stooped so low?
Oh! How the high have fallen.
As she looks at the full body mirror hanging from her room, she can't help but feel a touch of dread navigating thru her back. She'd take any of the angels (Maybe all of them at once) over this any time; this was a conspiracy, it had to be, a sick game conjured by her detractors to make her see-
"Asuka! Shinji is here!" she hears her mother chuckle softly thru the thin rice paper door.
And as she sighs and walks out of her room, she can't help but blush at the look he gives her; the look she had wanted to receive from him all his life.
"Y-you look beautiful." He stammers, putting the dead flowers in her wrist.
She was unsure of it all.
"Th-thank you." She smiles as she sees them.
But now she knows.
"Have fun at the prom!" Her mother shouts and she smiles. And as the door closes, she quickly pecks him on the lips.
She can always ask for his help.
----- -----
She loves Tanabata.
Ever since she was a little girl, she would look out her window into the starry sky, and simply…stare. Tanabata became synonymous with summer for her.
As she grew up, she got other words associated with summer: Vacations and sleepovers, lazy afternoons and trips to the beach. But in the back of her mind, she would always remember her Mama and her Papa, all of them dressed in silky kimonos, strolling down the streets, and Papa would be carrying her on his shoulders while she ate and laughed and had fun and Mama will always buy her a goldfish in a bag (Which would mysteriously disappear a month after)
She smiles brightly as she walks back home with him in tow, stopping at the shopping district to see the bathing suit (And she just happens to know which one to model to him to ensure a nosebleed from him)
And then she'll go with him to see the kimonos for Tanabata, making him sit as she tries one after another (Mainly for teasing since she has already picked the one she will wear) she enjoys the way his eyes glaze over as she walks out of the dressing room, how he simply nods and says yes without even hearing her question ("Shinji, would you like it if you had to wash the groin cups of the whole schools boys softball team?" "Yes.")
And now as they walk hand in hand by the lights of the paper lamps, she gazes into the night sky, looking at the stars. He tries so hard to not look at her legs (She enjoys the soft lapels of the Yukata, almost like a mini skirt, and her deep red Tabi socks, matching the silk of her robe)
They stop by one of the tall oaks that houses a thousand paper lanterns, and she grabs a strip of colored paper, narrow and thin. She dips the brush next to her in the black ink and writes her wish, her aspiration, to hang it from the nearby bamboos, along the chimes and lanterns and assorted ornaments on it.
"What did you write Asuka?"
"What are you, stupid? If I tell you it won't come true!"
And their smiles and laughter mingles with the others, she turns to the stars and smiles at them.
I wish to be forever with him.
She knows it'll always come true.
----- -----
Ahh...the wonders of rest and relaxation. After a weekend off, I felt the need to...scratch and itch. Hence chapter 27. those who know, will understand the hate part (Shout out to Rakna. I need my chosen fix, pleeease!!) It's good to be beack, guess i just needed to clear my head. as a souvenir I bring you...another fic.
Heh.