DISCLAIMER: I OWN WHAT IS MY OWN.

The OtherSide

By Corvus no Genmu the Prince of Slumberland

Genesis

"Fourteen… Fifteen… Sixteen…" Whispers, soft and gentle from a voice weary for one still in his teenaged years.

"Why are you doing that?" A question, spoken by one whose experience with the heart and its emotions were near nonexistent.

"Hrm?"

"You are counting aloud for every stroke of the hairbrush, I wish to know why."

"Ah… it's something my sister used to do whenever she combed her hair. A hundred strokes for a shining luster." Nostalgia was mixed with a sense of despair as memories of an emerald-haired beauty marked his mind amidst the scent of roses.

"Is it not nothing more than myth?"

"I believe the better term would be 'old wive's tale' and I've no idea honestly. Asagi had beautiful hair since I could remember. Almost as beautiful as your own, my dear." His hand gentle stroked her baby-blue locks, smiling at its silk-like texture.

"… You… embarrass me…" Ivory cheeks turned red with the increased flow of blood,

"I speak only in truth, as you should already know." He resumed brushing her hair.

"Hmmm…" Pink turned to red as the memory came to mind of a sunny beach and a day of fun and amusement for all involved. "It is still too revealing…"

"Yet you wore it anyway," he smiled, knowing what she spoke of almost immediately, "and kept it hidden away in your closet, yes?" A soft nod, crimson eyes fell down to the article she wore now, a simple button-down shirt, quite large on her frame but it was not of her choice. It was all he had to offer her until her uniform dried out and even then he refused to take her out into a storm in the middle of the night.

He offered her his room and bed and had already made a bed for himself out of his couch, the same the two were currently sitting on now. He didn't ask her any questions, just took her into his home without a word and set her to a warm bath lest she catch a cold. He kept his eyes firmly away from her until she was dressed, something that was… disappointing to her.

"Something troubling you?" He paused in his ministrations. She leaned back, silently asking for him to continue but more to feel the warmth of his body against her own. A month ago, she could count the times someone willingly touched her on one hand but now, having been properly introduced to so many wonderful things, she found the simple things the most pleasurable. "There's no one hear to listen but me, you can say what you want."

She remained silent for a long moment before turning her head to look up into his burnt-orange eyes. "What is love?"

"Eh?"

"What is love, by your definition?" Her eyes stared into his own, unblinking in their intensity.

"Love, huh?" He smiled teasingly. Though he was curious he kept his empathy to himself and answered, "Love is… love is patient and kind. Love gives you the strength to do impossible things. It transcends space and time, and can bridge the gap of the largest divide. Sometimes, the love you're looking for is right under nose." He poked her nose, earning an irritated glare for his troubles. "Everyone loves, Rei. It's just a matter of how much love they have to give."

"So what is true love then?" Her eyes refused to leave his, her infinite patience almost wearing thin.

"True love, eh?" He couldn't resist the teasing smirk, but relented. "True love is… in a roundabut way… something like sacrifice."

"Sacrifice?"

A firm nod. "True love means putting another's happiness above your own."

She remained quiet and without another word, he continued brushing her hair until he reached the full one-thousand. Setting the brush aside, he stretched as he stood, about to get ready for bed when she suddenly spoke, "Do you love me, Eiji-kun?"

He stopped and turned to look at her. For the first time she since she met him, the last Kusanagi looked surprised, nay stunned out of his mind. "I… Rei… You know what you're asking."

"I do."

"You know when you hear the answer, it will change things. The promise will become a guarantee, no matter what you or Shinji say, he will pay for what he's done and what he will do to the both of you. There will be no more secrets between you and I, secrets that will shatter everything you've perceived as reality. I'll give you this one chance, Rei. One chance to take it back and be safe in your ignorance."

"… We will be one?"

He blushed and looked aside. He knew she was teasing him now. "We will be the other's support. We will share our pains, our sorrows, our smiles, and our laughs. To many we will seem as one but between us there will be yin and yang. Two pieces of one whole." She stared at him and he relented a small secret. "Not until there are rings on both our fingers." She seemed disappointed and he relented just a bit more, his face turning a healthy shade of red. "My promise extends only to siring, not to the… experience…"

"I understand."

"So knowing all of this, are you sure you want to know the whole truth?"

"Yes." He gave her no more quarter. Lifting her chin up, he pressed his lips to her own. The kiss lasted for as long as the two could forget their need to breathe and even then, they were hesitant in pulling back. They were both gasping for air, flushed from the kiss and lack of air. Rei Ayanami's eyes drifted up to look upon his face, smiling gently as she had that first time not so long ago. A pale hand strayed to the buttons of her shirt.

"About the experience…"

To Be Continued...

A/N Inspiration:

Evangelion has been a favorite anime of mine for some time now though I'll admit to not comprehending the story fully until like a decade later but hey, it's a classic in mecha-type anime and I won't lie and while there have been several good crossover stories of Evangelion, those that feature Godzilla are few and updated even less. Truthfully, if I did write such a fic, it'd likely feature, Gojira, Gamera, Caesar, and Midoriko.

Next Reflection...

"Fear"