A/N: Again, one of my favorites. ^^
Standing Still
Shinji + Hiyori
She fights. She gets beat up. She falls on her face, bleeding, wounded.
He does nothing but stand still, watching.
Hiyori continues to stand up. Again. For the umpteenth time. There was no backing out. Not until she gets killed. The sparring session was not for practice anymore. And the spectators watch as the blonde little girl punches and kicks and screams, thrashes and slashes by instinct and impulse. Going for the kill of a man thrice her size.
Shinji's face bears no emotion as he watches her get thrown around and get all bloody, receive a pierce to her side, get kicked to the ground and punched to a wall.
She continues to scream bloody revenge, and she slashes and screams and kicks and punches incoherently, wildly, and inflicts just as much, if not more, damage on her opponent.
But she still is weak. Shinji watches her opponent stand up and return her blows.
He could stop this any minute now. He can just step in and grab her, but no.
He stands still. Because this was her pride at stake. This was a bet on her credibility. This was an exam of her ability. This was her strength being tested.
And perhaps, he was being tested too.
Because he won't help her, no. He would watch. Watch her win or lose - as long as he doesn't intervene.
And he holds the urge to run and kill the one who hurts her. Because this was a test.
Because sometimes your strength is proven only by keeping your stand. Sometimes your strength is measured by simply standing still. Watching.
Because if he dares intervene, her pride shatters, and she will hate him for sure.
Because he believes, believes, hopes, believes that she will win. That why he stands still. Waiting for the moment where she passes out just five seconds after her opponent. Waiting for the moment that he has to carry a passed-out winner in his arms towards the medical team.
So he stands still.
A/N: Review? :D