Standard Disclaimer
Man life has been kicking me hard lately. Pool is closed, bit of depression going on, work is shifting from Front End to Back End and my brain is just…wishing I had more time. Sorry for the late update for this, but I took a lil time off for Labor Day to enjoy the last week of the pool. Hope you're all doing good
X-X
With Nothing Else
Chapter – 12
Speeding her car down the streets at velocities that even made her a little worried, Misato's brain wracked itself. Where was Rei? Where was Shinji? If she as a betting woman, Misato would put every yen she owned on them being together. Just what the fuck was Fuyutski thinking, countermanding the commander's orders about Rei. Yes the girl wasn't that bad, a medium case of obsession. It was bad for the girl to have it, but it was manageable if handled right. Well that went out the door the moment Fuyutski opened Rei's and let her roam freely.
"And what the hell was up with that other girl? What did they give him?" Misato's limbs were numb. Dosing Shinji to make him more pliable to her wishes? The hell was wrong with kids today? Back when she was in college if a girl wanted to fuck a guy she gave him a blowjob and stripped, if the guy like you then it was a done deal. That's why Misato hated the smart but timid, they just had to go and make shit more complicated! Her phone started to ring, taking her car down to safe speeds she pulled it out. Flipping it open without looking at the number, it didn't matter who called, "Tell me good news or I'm hanging up."
For a moment there was nothing on the other side except heavy breathing, startled and worried by the sounds of it. "A-agent Takeyo ma'am, reporting in from the Tachibana apartment. I have an eye witness, an old couple that live on the first floor. They confirm the Third Child was here last night, vomited outside the building, and was escorted away by a girl with blue hair. I showed them a picture of the First Child but they weren't sure if it was her."
Fuck! Just like the expected, but it was a bet she had hoped to lose. Clenching her phone harder, it crinkled a little under the strain, "Get a sample of that to Ritsuko as soon as you can. Then get back out looking for our wayward pair." Snapping the cell shut, Misato let it fall to her passenger seat for easy grabbing. So Rei did find Shinji and had him. Where would she take him? Better question was where COULD she take him? Possibilities flared up and were doused by Misato's analytical mind.
Her apartment? No, Misato or Asuka would have seen her, to obvious. The Geo-Front was considered for a moment then just as quickly discarded, Rei wanted out not in. Leaving Tokyo-3 would be best, but if Shinji was sick or at least suffering a little Rei wouldn't chance it. Hospitals have all been contacted, or at least they better or Misato was going to fire a few people, so that wasn't a choice. "Where are you, Ayanami, where would you go where we wouldn't think to look for…" Misato slammed on her brake and spun out.
"Her old apartment?" Misato was already barreling down the streets in that direction. A long shot yes, but Misato could see potential. It was outside of the populated part of the city, the building had almost no other tenants, it was close enough to facilities she could get medication, and it was a place she knew. Shifting up, passing on into the few cars of oncoming traffic, Misato was bouncing in her seat. Her shoulders bucked as she reaffirmed her grip on the wheel. Time, they didn't have time for this. "If she's not there, I prey somebody finds her," those earthquakes were being caused by something and it was likely something…
The phone was ringing again. To quick for Takeyo to have gotten to Ritsuko with the sample, maybe somebody found Rei and this was all pointless panicking. Blindly groping for the phone, Misato flipped it open, "Who is it this time and do you have good news for me?" Damn she wanted a beer right now, something to calm her frazzled nerves! Her boy was out there, potentially sick, and with a girl she knew had a few loosened screws.
"Katsuragi it's me," Kaji's smooth voice had an edge of fear in it, not a good start. Foregoing his normal flirtation the man went straight into the point, "Magi confirmed a blue-pattern in lower earth orbit. It's in the processes of targeting us by dropping small bits of it self. I've contacted Asuka and am having her picked up. We some time as it gets its targeting squared up, but its not much. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news honey." Guess he couldn't have left all the flirting out.
When it rained it fucking poured! "Thanks Kaji, get the Eva ready. I've an idea on where Ayanami is, and I've got confirmation she was last seen with Shinji. Hopefully I'll be bringing both in soon," she felt a rush of joy that she tried to squelch. Damn Kaji for telling her that, damn him for making her care. He had burned her before, well they burned each other more likely, and yet she couldn't deny part of her was thinking more and more of him. But now wasn't the time for that, now she had to put out two fires.
Tires screeched, the car threatened to spin out as she slammed on the breaks leaving twin tails of rubber on the street. Leaving the engine going, if somebody stole the car while she went to check she'd get some firing practice done with her sidearm. Rushing up the stairs of Rei's old apartment building, the smell of decay and rot assailed her nose instantly. How in all the hells had Gendo ever found it acceptable for the girl to live here? No mother of the year herself, hell Shinji cared more for her than the inverse, but even she knew this was a horrid place. "Please be here, please," she whimpered softly as she tiptoed to the door.
Putting her ear to the door, Misato listened. It was hard to hear, her heart was beating so hard and her breathing labored from the run, but she could hear. "When you are well, we will leave this place. Just you and I, away from those that would keep us apart," that soft voice, so full of tenderness Misato nearly didn't recognize it.
"Ayanami you have a lot of explaining to do," Misato kicked the door in. Now wasn't the time for subtly, lives were at stake, all of them. Ready for anything, Misato marched into the stale air of the apartment and nearly vomited at what she saw. On the small cot were two equally nude pilots. Thankfully she didn't smell the odor of sex, so there was that, but seeing her boy like this was not on Misato's wish list. Recovering from her bout of unease, Misato quickly found Rei's clothing on the ground, intermingling with Shinji's, and she threw them at the girl, "Get dressed, an angel was detected and we need you both."
Glaring balefully at Misato, Rei was off the bed in an instant and went into a defensive stance. "Katsuragi-san, I will not go back with you. Your attempts to intervene with our happiness has been exposed," the girl was one moment away from pouncing and clawing her way through Misato's body. Casting a quick look at the panting and sweating Shinji, Rei had a momentary second of conflict on her face.
They didn't have time for this! Holding her hands up even with her face, Misato opted for the peaceful approach. "I'm not lying to you Ayanami. Those earthquakes we've been feeling is an angel, apparently it's dropping parts of itself in some damn method of targeting. You don't come with me right now, it won't matter what your plans are as you'll be dead when the thing crashes. Third Impact will put a damper on your little escape plans," Misato pleaded with the girl's sense of reason.
"Ma-Misato-san is that you?" a delirious Shinji moaned out. Sitting up, his head swiveled around like a puppets without being supported. Sweat dribbled down off of him in rivulets and his face was pale and sullen. Trying to get off the bed, the delirious boy started to fall off only to be caught by Rei. Grabbing onto Rei's shoulders, he smiled weakly at the girl before his body started to convulse a little, "D-did she say angel…do we have to go?"
Gently pushing Shinji back into the bed, showing tenderness Misato thought the girl incapable of, Rei smoothing his hair back. "Just rest love, it is not an issue. Katsuragi doesn't know the truth," Rei pushed Shinji back to laying down. Once she was satisfied he was comfortable she turned back to Misato with that wicked and disgusted expression, "Your car. I will be taking it."
Ever fiber of her being wanted to rush the girl right now, but Misato knew that would only exacerbate things. Shinji looked horrid, and that stoked the fires of her caring. He needed medical treatment, and fast. Wait…maybe Misato couldn't get Rei back due to the angel, but Shinji's safety. "Ayanami, I don't know what you're talking about, but you can't take him like this. Shinji-kun needs medical treatment. That girl, Tachibana, admitted that he was given some type of drug. It's obviously doing something to him. Take him now and you'll be killing him. Can you live with that?" Making a wide circle around the girl, Misato got to the foot of the bed and got a better look at Shinji. Fuck he was looking bad.
"He was…" Rei's cheeks lost even more color making her nearly translucent. Her fists dropped to her side and twitched. "We…I cannot go back. If I go back I will be replaced. I wish for nothing but to be with him, why is that impossible?" Rei actually looked up with a few unshed tears in her eyes.
Listening to a few delirious words that left Shinji's lips as he fever dreamed, Misato took a hold of his ankle and felt his pulse. Neat trick Ritsuko taught her, more for use in the bedroom not for medical reasons. Could tell when a man or woman were about to pop from the pulse, and if it was a mutually beneficial oral experience and she didn't want a mouthful she'd check…Kaji had issues telling her back in college. When she felt Shinji's, it was going a mile a minute, and that had to be bad. "What do you mean replaced Ayanami, we can't replace pilots that easy or we'd have done so with Shinji. He's not a fighter if you haven't noticed," he was a lover it seemed.
Putting on her clothing, the defeated Rei handed Misato some of Shinji's clothing. "I can be, Commander Ikari has told me of that. If I go back, I will be replaced. But you do not care about this. You wished us separated, Soryu confirmed as much yesterday. But I will not let him die…I love him, I will protect him," now those few tears did fall but her face was impassive as ever. A crying alabaster statue.
"We'll talk about this in the car ride to Nerv, Ayanami," Misato was already putting Shinji's clothing on. In a lighter situation Misato would have teased both about Shinji's little friend. Guess whatever dream he was having was randy as he was standing tall, quite large for a boy his age. Didn't matter right now though, the teasing switch was firmly in the off position. Gently rousing the boy, "Shinji-kun wake up, we need to get you moving. Ayanami help me move him." The irony wasn't lost on Misato, making Rei help to bring Shinji back to Nerv when the girl planned on escaping from them. Using a girl's feelings to exploit her, damn Misato felt sick to her stomach.
As they half drug the boy, Misato reevaluated a lot of things. Rei did have her issues, obsessing over anything was bad, the threatening of others a big red flag. But looking about the apartment, Misato felt Rei's reacts were actually normal considering the situation! Girl lived a horrid life and gets a boyfriend? Who was Misato to say the girl couldn't defend her happiness! Rei went about it wrong, but that could have been tempered out in time. Laying Shinji in the backseat of the still waiting car, "Get in the front Rei, we need to talk. Explain what you were thinking, and this replacement shit?"
"I wished to leave, I wished to leave with him," Rei said as she reluctantly got into the passenger seat. Misato could see she wanted to be right in back with Shinji, but she followed orders like the good soldier she was. Foregoing the seatbelt she twisted around to watch Shinji. "And it is as I said. Commander Ikari has told me. I am his catalyst for after the angels, I can be replaced. And I am the second. Will he be alright?" it wasn't needed to ask who 'he' was.
To much to learn at such a time, Misato made a mental note to look into all these things Rei was saying when time was on her side. If she didn't get them to Nerv though, if they didn't stop the angel, it was all moot anyway. "We get him to Ritsuko and I'm sure he'll be fine. As for all of this…Rei you have to know you'll be punished for it, but you won't be replaced. I promise you that. And for what it's worth, I went about this wrong. You have a problem, we want to help you with it, but we could have found a better way," Misato admitted. What that other option was, hell if she knew, but maybe she had been wrong.
"It doesn't matter now…just tell him…no…" whatever Rei was going to ask the girl aborted it. Not speaking again, the girl just watched Shinji sleep, fidgeting when he'd wheeze or speak. When they got to Nerv, Misato helped the girl wake him and take him to the changing rooms. He was given a shot of adrenaline to wake him up and make him ready for the mission. Damn Misato hated that fact, the kid needed sleep and recovery and they were pouring drugs into him to wake him up. But with the details she heard about the latest angel, all three were needed…and it wasn't going to be easy. And making her feel even worse, Misato told Asuka to keep an eye on Shinji…keep Rei from having second thoughts about escaping.
Rei didn't, but when Misato gave the trio of pilots the battle plan maybe it would have been better if she had. Rei just looked as if she expected death, Shinji looked like he was on his last legs, and Asuka was beside herself with unknown emotions. "Good luck out there…and after you win I'll treat all of you to something," she smiled are Rei but the girl didn't reciprocate, she just walked off with that doomed aura bout her.
X-X
"So how are you feeling, Shinji-kun?" Ritsuko asked as she entered the room. Her clipboard nearly clattered to the floor at the sight before her. Misato hovering over the boy, concern and worry radiating out of her, poking and prodding him gently. Guess she couldn't tease Misato about her lack of motherly qualities, woman was acting spot on. Far change from the woman Ritsuko knew in college, guess everybody could mature. Then again, Misato had been a bit of a lifeline for her as well after the reveal of the relationship business. But even with all of that some teasing was in order, "Give the boy some space, Misato, he can breathe on his own."
Actually blushing, Misato popped up quickly and neatly collapsed into the chair at the bedside. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" Misato grabbed at her chest and heaved a mighty sigh. Fixing her disheveled jacket, Misato smirked and shook her head at the intruder. Where they siblings, parent and child, or something else wasn't known, but what was known was a moment was intruded upon. Clearing her throat, "So tell us doc, will our hero make it?"
"With bed rest and a little detox, you'll be right as rain Shinji-kun," Ritsuko approached the boy's bed. It hadn't been pretty, the toxicology report for Shinji was all kinds of horrible, but a few days of observation would do him fine. But here came the hard part, well the hard part regarding Shinji directly. "Going to have to ask you to step out of the room, Misato, I've a few questions for Shinji-kun here. Patient/doctor confidentiality and all that. What I have to ask him, you'd tease him to hard about," Ritsuko bore down on the woman.
Timidly croaking as best his tired body could, "Does she have to, Ritsuko-san?" Both Shinji and Misato turned to the other, neither wanting the other to go. There was a bond there, quite strong and something Ritsuko was a little jealous of. Hadn't they been friends first, close friends, and yet looking at the two of them Ritsuko had doubt. If it came down to Shinji or her, Ritsuko didn't know who Misato would save. Using the controller to elevate his head, Shinji had deep blotches under his eyes, "I mean she isn't that bad about teasing."
Holding a hand up as Misato went to speak, Ritsuko's eyes flared, "Doctor's orders, so no double teaming on the poor woman to get your ways." For a brief moment her words played a rather cruel joke on her. What would it be like to be with Misato and Shinji in THAT way? Kaji and Misato in college had been a fun diversion, but what would it be like now? Odd more than likely. Pointing at the door, "Get going Misato. Asuka is puttering around in the common room. Go tell her he's fine and will be free to leave in a few days."
"I'm leaving under protest, Shinji-kun. Don't tell that nasty woman anything that makes her happy," Misato playfully gnashed her teeth at Ritsuko and stood up. Lingering at Shinji's side for a moment, the back of her hand gently pressed to Shinji's cheek, she was torn. For a moment Ritsuko was worried Misato would resist stronger but didn't. Heading over to Ritsuko, "Sorry about not being there for you too. But now that this is behind us, all three of us are going to have a nice evening out once he gets out of that bed." Her hand clamped down on Ritsuko's shoulder for a second, she smiled that insipid yet adoring grin, and headed out of the small room.
Taking up Misato's chair, still warm with the woman's presence, Ritsuko wiggled into it. Damn she was tired, the hangover from this morning robbed her of any useful sleep, the stress of the day, and what she still had to do…she just wanted to sleep. "So what do you remember, Shinji-kun? Last twenty-four hours have been rather hectic for you it seems. Tell me what you remember, all of it," she gave him a hard look. Now wasn't the time for secrets, Shinji had a lot happen to him, and his readings were telling one story that was borderline nightmare fuel. Taking his hand as he shied away, "Don't worry, I wasn't lying. Nothing you say here leaves this room. I just need to know so I can prescribe the proper treatment."
"Alright, but before I do, can you tell me how Rei-san is doing? I remember her screaming after we defeated the angel," Shinji clamped down on Ritsuko's hand with his own. It was warm and firm, and at the same time gentle. Such worry and concern, he feared more for Rei than himself. Damn that made Ritsuko feel one-foot tall and made of filth. This boy, this man…why couldn't she do good things for him, why did life just seem to hate him?
The cover story ready, hell Rei was already down in the bowels of Nerv strapped on a gurney next to her replacement, Ritsuko went into the deception. "Rei's fine, at least physically," she felt his pulse jump as she held his wrist. Blinking quickly to keep her emotional mask in place, "She overstressed herself, much like you did. Unit-00 had some sort of bio-feedback and knocked her out. Going to go and check on her after I finish with you here." Not fully a lie, just the source was her hand. She sent Unit-00 to wrack the girl's mind, knock her out and provide her the opportunity to do what was needed for her own survival. He turned away in thought, evaluating her lie, and he deflated…he believed it.
"Will I get to see her?" he asked hopefully and just about broke Ritsuko's heart when she shook her head. With how the new clone would act as an unknown, Ritsuko didn't know if she wanted Shinji to interact with her in the end. Silent for a few minutes, his nose sniffing hard and his eyes glassy, he yawned loudly before reluctantly going into his tale. "I don't remember a whole lot of the last day. Bits and pieces mostly. I went out with Kensuke, knowing he'd bring Sakura and Chidori at some point…"
Shinji then went into his story of what he recalled. This girl Chidori had provided him with drinks, and by the end of the movie Shinji admitted his memories were jumbled. The heightened senses, the dehydration and constant drinking, it all made sense with the blood chemistry she was seeing. Girl put some ecstasy into his drink, likely some alcohol too. When asked if he had sex with the Sakura girl, Ritsuko felt horrible at how giddy she felt when Shinji relented and confessed to his actions. Guys with good tongue skills, very rare in Ritsuko's experience. Yet despite the severe depression Shinji remained loyal to Rei, that crashed Ritsuko's good mood. Then he confessed to getting sick, finding Rei, and Rei's syringe. Explained the sedatives Ritsuko found. From that point Shinji only had bits and pieces of consciousness before the adrenaline shot and the angel.
"Now that is some story, stimulates, booze, sedatives, and then our little pick-me-up. You've had a lot of chemicals put into your system. Good thing we have you here, that concoction could be fatal. Seems you had a real bad reaction to MDMA and alcohol. I'd be careful around that Nagato girl in the future. But get some rest, I'll have some food sent up later and check up on you after I see to Ayanami. Alright?" Ritsuko stood up. Out of the room, she had to get out now! Seeing that hope on his face, the respect and adoration he was giving her…she wasn't deserving of it! All he had done for her, for no reason other than to be nice and his reward was. A single text message from Gendo remained in her phone telling her to finalizing the transfer.
The whirring of the bed signaled he was taking the option of rest very closely. "Thank you Ritsuko-san for everything. I didn't think Nagato-san would be the type to…guess some people just like to have their way. I'll have to talk to Kensuke about her. Oh and…if Rei-san is awake tell her I…never mind, she knows," Shinji smiled to himself and shut his eyes. The beeping of the machines, all the monitors reviewing his vitals filled the room with white noise.
"Sleep well, Shinji-kun," Ritsuko sniffed hard and rushed out unable to stomach herself. When she got out though, oh did she wish she had. Misato was standing there waiting, that pensive and clouded expression promised mental torture for Ritsuko. Walking towards the elevator and the waiting twins down below, "He's sleeping Misato. Did you see to Asuka? You know how she can get if you ignore her." Throwing up her few defenses for her already frazzled mind, Ritsuko needed to be alone.
Following in step behind Ritsuko, Misato kept her arms crossed. "Girl broke a chair when I told her about the toxicology. I don't want to be in those other girls' shoes today. Asuka stormed off to have words with them," Misato got into the elevator with Ritsuko and missed the haggard sigh. Leaning against the wall of the cab, on perfect thigh showing as she put her foot against it, "Poor kid can't get a break. So what can you tell me about all of this Rits? Yesterday you were saying you were fearing for your life, I heard the same from Ayanami when I collected them. Only reason she didn't try and knock me out and steal my car was Shinji's health. What is going on here?"
"I fear for it," Ritsuko said under her breath. If she didn't do what Gendo wanted, would he eliminate her or would she have a room like Rei had until an option was provided? Unable to go down to Terminal Dogma with Misato in tow, Ritsuko stalled the cab, now was just as good as any to start coming clean. Moving in close, mere inches away from that face that sent men's hearts a flutter, "I'll tell you what I told Shinji-kun. Ayanami passed out due to stress. She pushed herself to hard and too fast to get to Shinji-kun as he held up that bomb." A lie, after telling Misato she'd tell the truth to her, that they'd have no more secrets. Well this was the last one. To tell Misato would endanger her life as well.
Pacing the cab, Misato practically growled, "You owe me more than that, but I'll assume you have your reasons right now." Misato looked directly at the pocket that hosted Ritsuko's phone. Opening the elevator cab, Misato held the door open and leaned in close. "I've been bad myself. I accept that, but we need to change. If we don't, what is all this for? Why bother trying to save anything if we just turn it to ash anyway. You and I are going to get good and drunk, and then I'll charm those secrets out of you," Misato gave a toothy smile and let the door shut.
"I'll bring the bottles," Ritsuko said to the shut door. What was it all for again? At first it was for humanity, then for her love of Gendo, but what now? Was her survival worth anything right now? Sliding her key into the hidden slot in the elevator she put in the password for Terminal Dogma. What was she living for now? Even now, the phantom emotions still lingered in her mind for Gendo. Can't just turn off love, ask Shinji that one. Ritsuko saw the photos of Sakura Tachibana, Misato had been waving them around since she got them after the battle. Going so far as to drug a man to try and get him to love you…could Ritsuko say what she did for Gendo was worse?
Walking down the empty halls, her feet clattered making ghost echoes of being followed, Ritsuko shuddered. "Girl at least got a reward for her duplicity, what did I get?" Ritsuko felt her bruises ache dully. Shinji gets a beautiful and rich girl to throw herself at him, nearly kill him, and yet he was loyal to the girl Ritsuko was about to end. Opening the door to the lab, Ritsuko had to admit she got her just reward. Where Shinji was going out of his way to help people was rewarded with…well being allowed to administer a little cunnalinguist, Ritsuko got pain. Fitting joy for joy and pain for pain.
And there on two medical beds were identical twins, one in a plugsuit and another in hospital gown. The gowned Rei had slightly longer hair, likely due to the lack of LCL in it. Both were in peak physical condition, both had a little extra bit of biology inside of them. S2 organs, just what would that do to a living being? Rei II fidgeted a little in her sleep, thankfully the induced coma would prevent the girl from waking. Rei III hadn't woken yet but was close to it, only chemicals kept her sleeping. Ritsuko was afraid of what the girl would know, say, or be when she woke.
One soul for many bodies, yet two of them lay side by side. What was inside this new creature? Was it all a lie and the soul didn't exist, could they share it, or maybe it was something different something new.
"What do I do with you little girl?" Ritsuko stood over the sleeping Rei II. Girl had tried to abduct and run off with Shinji. Had Misato not been as accurately paranoid over Fuyutski's actions Rei might have gotten away with it. They had a lot in common didn't they, Ritsuko felt herself laughing at that. Where Rei was punished for fighting for her emotions, Ritsuko was rewarded. Hadn't she done horrible things, worse than Rei had, for Gendo? Hovering over the alabaster girl, "You don't deserve this. Done nothing except we forced into you. But Gendo's will be done, even you agreed to that."
It was a slim justification for her actions, but Ritsuko clung to it like a divine icon. They all followed to the tune of Gendo's pipe, dancing as he commanded. Rei followed the man's orders, Ritsuko did, and all of Nerv did. Yet here Ritsuko stood, hand hovering over the button that would dump the toxic concoction into her bloodstream and end her life. "We all do what we have to, Aya…Rei. You and I were his toys, only you got to far away from him for his liking. I'm slipping too from his grasp," as evident as Rei still drew breath.
"What would you do? What would either of you do if the situation was reversed?" she all but cried out to the sleeping clones. Starting to hyperventilate, she just couldn't relax, her vision went tunnel as she just couldn't calm down. Her life or Rei's, that's what this came down to didn't it? She pushed the button and got to live at Rei's expense, she didn't and they'd both vanish into the night! What choice did she have? None right? It was a simple choice, life! Push the button! Push it! PUSH IT! Why was she hesitating!
Hand hovering over that tiny button, licking her lips as her vision swam with tears and frustration. Falling to the ground, her legs going out under her, Ritsuko broke down sobbing bitterly. "I can't…I just can't!" Ritsuko lay on the floor. She just couldn't push it, Rei had done wrong yes, but only because she was pushed to it. After she finished her crying, body so weak she literally crawled back to the elevator and just lay in the cab and fought to regain her breath. "Let him do it. He wants her gone, let him dirty his own hands," Ritsuko grabbed her coat and pulled it closed. Cold, she was so cold, impossibly so.
Fumbling with her phone, she pulled it out and sent the single message that she hoped didn't end her life. 'Ayanami comatose in Terminal Dogma, new clone ready for release. You handle it,' it was short and sweet.
It didn't take more than three minutes for a reply to come back, 'Understood. Will destroy unusable spare upon return.' Whatever that meant for both Rei and herself, well Ritsuko didn't know but she would live each moment as best she could until the hammer fell.
X-X
Sitting at the breakfast table, picking at the fairly poor quality dish she had made, Asuka tried to ignore the cramps she was feeling. At least that meant her little taste of adulthood hadn't made her walk down an avenue of life she never wanted. Tossing two more aspirin down and chasing it with lukewarm coffee she waited for Misato to join her. "Without Shinji here though, she'll be a mess," Asuka chewed on the rubbery eggs. Damn she was never good at making eggs, but that was all they had left. Neither Misato or her ever did much grocery shopping, Shinji took care of that.
And where was Shinji? Well he was still in the hospital! Two days in the hospital, school starting again today, and yet that jerk was still in detox! "What did they do to you," Asuka felt something she hated. She felt powerless, she felt stupid, and she felt at fault! Yeah crazy Rei did something, she was sure of it due to Misato's reaction to mentioning the girl's name, yet Sakura's comments. Chidori slipped him something for that wet rat of a girl. "And I set them up, I helped with this," suddenly her eyes started to tear up. Stupid emotional swings. Contain it…contain…and she was good.
"Where is mine?" Misato mumbled as she shambled into the kitchen and fell into a seat. Groping about she grabbed her mug and comically looked into it, running her finger around its innards for phantom coffee. Pointing at the empty cup and to Asuka's, "You get the last of it or is there any left?"
Flinching her head towards the pot, Asuka wasn't in the mood to help Misato much. It was a two way street, if Misato wanted Asuka to do menial tasks she had to pay with information. "Some left, still warming up. As for food, cook your own and tend to that damn bird of yours. Thing has been kicking around his food dish all morning," she pushed her plate away. Her stomach wasn't having any of it, damn she hated periods. Watching as Misato collapsed on the table, hiding her face behind her folded arms, Asuka felt a moment of shame again. Maybe she should be a little nicer, Misato was close to Shinji in a different way.
Groaning into the faux wood tabletop, Misato sounded more animal than human. "This is just one big cluster fuck isn't it? When did I become so dependent on him? Why is he in the hospital over something so juvenile! And you? Didn't you say you were helping that girl, you have a hand in this?" Misato shoved herself off the table. It actually caused the flimsy thing to grind along the floor, a loud screech and crash of bottles falling off it. Shaking her head, palm to forehead she quickly apologized, "Sorry, bad night sleep. You were just as shocked at this the other day as I was, sorry."
Wow, Misato actually apologized, Asuka was stunned! In a show of maturity, Asuka actually didn't comment on the accusation and got Misato a cup of coffee after all. It wasn't hard to see how Misato was suffering from this, more proof that the pair shared a bond that Asuka didn't fully understand. Tapping the hot cup against Misato's hand, Asuka felt that smug satisfaction when Misato jerked away and looked at her stunned yet smiling. "Apology accepted, IF you tell me exactly what happened that day? I heard about Nagato putting something in his drink, but how does Ayanami factor into this?" Asuka gathered her plate and dumped it into the sink with the others. A veritable mountain of dishes.
"Thanks," Misato sipped the offered drink then stuck her tongue out, "ugh, you're coffee is not much better than mine. You'd think we'd be able to make something simple like this." They could, but they were spoiled. They had somebody that went the extra mile to make things special for them, tailored to their tastes, and he was suffering alone in a tiny room. And both of them were partially to blame in some small way. Asuka for pushing the Sakura angle, and Misato for pulling away the Ayanami option. Sipping more of the noxious fluid, Misato seemed to enjoy the heat of the cup more than anything, "Ayanami was going to kidnap him. We drove her to her breaking point, and she almost ran. Ritsuko said she should wake up from her overexertion today or tomorrow."
She knew that girl was crazy! "Didn't I tell you something was wrong with that girl," Asuka felt vindicated yet she didn't feel good. Misato had acted on her warning after all. Yet she hadn't acted on anything. Maybe if she had called Shinji, told him about the girl things might have been different. Well she could second guess herself forever over this. And right now she didn't want to feel worse about this, she wanted vengeance. Pulling out her lunch, a shabby imitation of what she used to have, "She going back to her cell after she wakes up?"
Sitting up in her chair, rubbing her back against it and her flimsy top could be heard tearing a little. Grabbing at the straps as it did fall off Misato grimly replied, "I don't know, Asuka. Ritsuko's going through some hard times right now so I don't want to push her too hard on things. Likely something HAS to happen over this. We just can't ignore it. Have to see how she is once she wakes up. Want me to call you when I learn more about Shinji's condition?"
"Of course I do," Asuka flushed as she answered just a little to quickly for her liking. Stupid jerk making her worry about him. Some payback for all he's done for her, getting him a chemical cocktail and making him easy pickings for that freak. Leaving before Misato could comment on her exuberance, woman would leap to the wrong conclusion, Asuka made a beeline to school. She had two little girls to put in their places. As she stomped towards her destination, Asuka remembered that sickly image of her best friend. "He looked horrid, and it's their fault," Asuka ground her teeth. Shinji wasn't Kaji, Asuka wasn't in love with the boy, but damn if he wasn't important to her.
Sitting in their customary spots, Touji and Kensuke chatted languidly as the students filtered in. No Sakura, Hikari, or Chidori to protect them, Asuka headed over to them. Noticing the approaching storm, Touji actually smiled and waved, "Yo Red! Thanks again for not destroying the city the other day. Where is Shin-man?" The jock looked over Asuka's shoulder expectantly.
"Not wanting to talk to you right now, Suzuhara," Asuka let his little snide comment fall away. Pushing Touji out of her way, Asuka towered over the seated Kensuke, he HAD to know what Chidori did he was her lapdog after all. Arms crossed and glaring with as much animosity as possible, "What did she give him? Why did you LET her, he's your friend?"
Paling instantly, Kensuke's glasses slid down his face yet he was to terrified to correct them. "She…she said it was just a little something! At first I thought it was just booze, I swear! W-why what happened? D-did Shinji get her pregnant or something?" Kensuke took a brief moment to scan the room. No Sakura and no Shinji, maybe the geek thought things were better than expected.
If only it were so simple Asuka wouldn't be so mad. Spoiled girl would just have daddy scape that little bundle of joy out of her, she was too young for a child. Clenching her fists so tight the knuckles popped, she tried to calm herself down. Kensuke shouldn't be held accountable for Chidori's actions, Asuka knew the girl well enough. Chidori treated Kensuke much like she treated Shinji, Asuka sucked that bitterness up. Through eyes shut so tight she saw white, "He's in the hospital. Whatever Nagato gave him, Misato didn't tell me, nearly killed him! He almost died because that simpering waif of a girl was to cowardly to just DO anything on her own!"
Both boys went stock still, Touji dropped a magazine he was holding and he swiveled towards Kensuke. "Dude, what the fuck is wrong with that chick? She drugged him? Why didn't Tachibana just…I don't know go down on him or something…confess…what the fuck Ken?!" Touji raged to a degree that actually shocked Asuka.
"I didn't think she'd take it that far. She pleaded with me to not say anything, she begged me to not stop her," Kensuke just bitterly dropped his head. It shook listlessly from side to side in disbelief. The sound of Sakura's voice and Hikari's flittered into the room, all three turned to it, and low and behold Chidori was behind her all three smiling brightly. Sniffing hard, Kensuke smeared mucus over his arm, "She said she owed Tachibana-san, I won't go deeper. But I told her that was as far as I'd go. I'm done working match maker for her."
He damn well better be, Asuka was too. Yes she wanted Shinji happy with somebody, somebody better than crazy. But a coward that would cheat like that and risk his life, wasn't any better! For now Shinji's friends were off the hook, Kensuke came off as devastated and Touji ignorant. With the actual culprits now in view Asuka felt the boiler that was her heart start to increase in heat and pressure. Just like with the bastard, Asuka felt a switch inside her flip and she was all smiles and sweetness outside, "Hey you three, looking pretty good. Sakura, Hikari, C-Chidori, what's up?"
"Well they were telling me about their date the other day. With the angel the other day I didn't get to hear about it until now," Hikari was unpacking her satchel. Always the diligent and dedicated class representative, Hikari didn't see what happened next.
Standing close to Chidori, Sakura cringed a little away from Asuka with that miniscule amount of fear left in her. "Yeah, we were talking about the movie and the signing. You might not know this, Asuka-san, but Shinji-san is an excellent singer," Sakura beamed with happiness. Probably already picking out the wedding kimono in her mind, "Is Shinji-san here with you?"
"Don't know about his singing, but from what Saku-chan tells me here he's got a skilled tongue for sure," Chidori roped an arm around Sakura and gave her a shake. Oh how stupidly happy she looked, another great plan succeeds and she gets what she wanted. Spoiled girl that didn't know how her dumb plans nearly wrecked mankind! Waggling Sakura around like a toy, Chidori did peek over at the other boys, "Where is the little Casanova? Thinking a more formal date is in order now."
Moving past the still oblivious Hikari, Asuka leaned against the desk gripping it so tight her fingers hurt. "Oh didn't you tell her about the incident? How Shinji didn't come home after your little date?" Asuka asked softly. So Shinji and Sakura did have a little closeness, not surprising. And again it was at Shinji's expense, having to tongue bathe that little snake in the grass. Shoving the desk away it fell over and crashed into another one. Her hair fell over her face, good she couldn't see those dumb bitches didn't know about it! The class went silent, "You don't know how he's in the hospital because of what you did?"
"H-hospital? You said it wasn't anything bad that you gave him," Sakura fidgeted in Chidori's hands. Breaking free, stumbling into Asuka's range, she turned around astonished yet not enough for Asuka's liking. "I thought you said it wouldn't hurt him, just make him…more open," Sakura sniffed hard.
Dancing her fingers over the timid waif's shoulders, Asuka clamped down to the satisfying sound of an 'eep' from the girl. Gliding in easily, an eel like movement, cheek to cheek, Asuka kept her hands tight, "Yup, hospital. And I'm not talking something easy. He's in detox, getting his stomach pumped and blood purified. You…nearly…killed him. All because you're to much of a fucking coward." Each word was sung, a beautiful and whimsical tune.
"Hey let go of her, Soryu, she didn't do this. And…so maybe I got a bad batch or something. Accidents happen!" Chidori defended herself. Swatting at Asuka's hand, she flinched back as Asuka slapped it back hard. Holding her hand, her face went dark and angry, "I didn't mean for anything bad to happen. Just to set the mood! Those two are perfect for each other, and he was to blinded by ah!"
Foot firmly put on Sakura's back, Asuka launched the girl into Chidori sending both into a pile on the ground. Standing over them, literally pulsating with anger, "You're trying to blame this on him? A guy is dedicated to a relationship, actually cares, and you're blaming you're drugging him on it? Maybe the problem is with this gutless and spoiled bitch that can't do anything on her own! Maybe if she had a spine and just confessed or waited for him to recover…but no! You lie to him, you trick him…and to think I helped you!" Asuka's hands held out almost envisioning strangling the two.
"Exactly! You did help me, helped us!" Chidori threw Sakura off who went rolling. Off the ground and on her feet, taller than Asuka the girl glowered with that little sense of superiority. Lightly popping Asuka in the chest with the back of her hand, "So back off, Soryu. You have no ground to stand on here. Can't say you had no part in this since you've been helping me back Sakura for months now! One accident happens and you get your panties in a bunch and go looking for somebody to blame. Well look in a mirror! If you helped more maybe I wouldn't have had to slip them stuff!"
Laughing, Asuka found this whole thing hilarious! Hikari was finally up and seeing things, at Asuka's back gently trying to calm her and get her out of the room. What was this even about anymore, she didn't know. Her emotions were all over the place, to much was going on for her to fully comprehend it all. Yet she was here listening to some stubborn girl just try to share the blame for a stupid mistake. Holding her hands up, she nodded, "You're right, I did help you. Well now I'm not. So don't go looking for anything from me. Not one damn thing, nothing. But if I hear you trying to blame him again for this…well hope you have insurance, because next time I'm in my Eva I might have an accident."
"Asuka, Asuka what was that all about, talk to me?" Hikari lead the distraught Asuka out of the room and to the restroom. Girl knew her stuff, Asuka couldn't be totally honest in public, and after that outburst something had to give. Turning Asuka around, kneeling just a little to look up into Asuka's down turned face, "Talk to me."
And the dam broke, Asuka latched onto the girl and crushed her against herself in a hug. "I fucked up Hikari. You know that girl Shinji got into those fights for?" Asuka just waited for Hikari to show recognition. Girl was smart, Asuka knew Hikari could figure it out, and when Hikari gasped all Asuka did was nod. "I wanted to make it up to him, get him away from Ayanami. And look what I helped with? He's in the hospital because I helped that stupid cunt try and force that doormat on him! Why? Why can't I help people when I want to?" Kaji, Shinji, even Misato at times! When she wanted to do good it just blew up in her face.
"You're being too hard on yourself Asuka, asking too much of yourself. You've done plenty," Hikari soothed and comforted as best she could. They were late getting back to class, the teacher very upset with Hikari for not being there for her duties, but the girl didn't appear to care. But oh how the class looked differently at Asuka, a mixture of fear and adoration. Asuka just stewed in it. Stupid emotions couldn't relax, stupid cramps were back, and she just shut it all out. After school she'd go see that jerk, see how he was and ask him point blank if he was upset with her.
X-X
Now Kensuke would never tell Touji this, but he loathed hospitals. The smell, the staff, the sense of death from all the people he hated it all. But with the jock, his buddy, needing to go them so often to visit his sister and hating going alone Kensuke found himself there quite often. Today's reason to visit however was definitely worse than seeing the lame yet adorable Mari Suzuhara. The day after Asuka's rather dramatic encounter with Chidori, the duo found themselves visiting the victim of that little altercation. Just how much of this accident was Chidori's fault, and by association his fault?
"I don't know man, I think Red was exaggerating things. I mean Nagato is a bitch, sorry, but I don't think she'd risk something that bad," Touji would never hold his opinion for anybody. An older nurse frowned at the boy's use of language but was to busy tending to a patient to comment. His shoes squeaking on the polished floor, Touji had an exuberance of energy, "She tell anything to you about it?"
More than Kensuke wanted to know. "Well I was with her up until we left those two in the karaoke booth," Kensuke scratched his cheek listlessly. It had been painful for him, that whole date in hindsight. Sakura was truly a beauty, and her personality was just everything he wanted in a girl. Yet she had fawned over Shinji and rejected him at every point. Then Chidori's little drink additive, he knew he should have stepped in, yet didn't. But after this, after Touji and he parted ways, it was time to tell Chidori he was done. "And before you even ask," Kensuke sighed as Touji's eyes went wide, "yes Tachibana told Chidori what happened and she told me."
Flapping his folded arms like bird wings, Touji was all about details of man and woman relations. Waiting for the elevator to take them up to Shinji's room on the fourth floor (Mari was on the second), Touji kicked his shoe on harder, "Well what details then? Hopefully something good came from this shit. Glad they moved him to General…to bad they couldn't have put him in Mari's room." The jock spoke off handed as the elevator door dinged open.
"Well according to Chidori, Shinji turned Tachibana in to mush by eating her out. He took her home and she passed out," Kensuke waited for the door to shut before enlightening Touji. It was amusing to watch Touji's chest puff out, some sort of pride in Shinji, only to deflate upon climax of story. Laughing a little as Touji kicked at the air, "It was their first quasi-date, Touji. And you know Shin-man was holding out for Ayanami to be released." Shinji's loyalty was something Kensuke could identify with, wasn't he loyal to Chidori in some way?
Grumbling under his breath, Touji put his hands into his pockets and sulked. "Not fair if you ask me. Shinji gets all the chicks and what do we get? You get to be the slave to that bitch, and I get to live vicariously through him. And when he can sink it into something new he doesn't! I mean why wouldn't he?" Touji cried out to heavens. A passing doctor gave him a queer look before heading off to parts unknown. Peeking in Shinji's window, Touji flashed the thumbs up, "Looks like he's up and nobody is here. You ready?"
The pep-up party was the plan, but Kensuke didn't feel peppy. But Touji took no refusals when he was like this, "Better hurry before somebody shows up." If Misato showed up, Kensuke could right Touji's brain off for usability. The number of times the taller boy hinted at his 'love' for Misato was disturbing. And seeing Touji's purloined undergarments gave Kensuke the creeps. With a deep breath, he opened the door and walked in with fake confidence, "Yo Shin-man! Still faking sick to avoid school?"
"Kensuke? Touji? What are you two doing here?" Shinji turned from his window with a smile. Not expecting the pair, he didn't sound like he minded their company. Quite the opposite in fact, he was almost glowing. Using the hand controller to raise his back up to seated, "Wish I was faking. One more day before I can go home and back to school. Ritsuko-san wants to do one more set of tests on me."
Heading right over to that bedside, Touji had a lot of practice doing so, he showed his usual tactlessness. "You look like you got hit by a bus. They not feeding you enough in here or something?" he loomed over the bed-bound lad.
"Yeah, you're looking mighty tired," Kensuke tried to put out the Touji-fires, "We not keeping you awake are we?" Damn did Shinji look nasty. All gaunt and weak, the IV in his vein evident that he wasn't quite healthy at the moment. Plopping down in a chair, he yanked out his laptop for a few choice pictures and web stories to brighten any teen boy's day. When Shinji just shook his hand dismissively, Kensuke went into it, "So what do you want to see first? School stories, Touji's latest requests, or gaming news?"
Joining Kensuke in attempts at alleviating Shinji's boredom, Touji took to the other side of Shinji's bed. For twenty minutes they joked about oddities in school, Touji defended his tastes in internet usage, and they both drooled over the new systems coming out. But the specter was always looming over Kensuke, with every look at those bags under Shinji's eyes. The elephant in the room refused to vanish, it grew in size and sound. What really caused these few days of hospitalization for the boy?
"Just a few more minutes Ikari-kun, you've that little thing we need to do," a young female nurse teased from the door before vanishing.
The light purple hair got Touji's attention, but he frowned at the lack of top-heaviness of the woman. "Your visitor hour almost up? Would have expected Misato-san or somebody else to visit," he shut Kensuke's laptop. Over the course of the visit, Touji took the helm to show the two some of the things he had found. Handing the computer over, "What little thing she talking about? This hospital into odd things, cause if so I'm taking Mari-chan out of it."
Waving his hand dismissively before his face, Shinji got a bit more energy than he had shown earlier, "She just likes teasing me about giving me a sponge bath. It's actually just her giving me my medication, she says she jokes about it because the number of pills. And Misato-san and Asuka were here earlier today anyway." He let out a powerful yawn, as he groped for a few paper cups, six of them in fact, and showed them to the others. "Every eight hours I have to choke these down," he balled up the paper and tossed it to a bin.
"Damn man, what did she do to you? Can't believe that selfish, self-serving…seriously why would Nagato do that to you! Not like you've been fending Tachibana off with torches and pitchforks!" Touji just had to ruin things. The issue had hung over all of them, a sword of Damocles, but both Shinji and Kensuke had been fine in ignoring it, they were well versed in pretending their problems didn't exist. Touji however just didn't have that gene, "Though we did here you two are dating now, right?"
Shinji didn't answer at first, just sat there looking at his body under the sheet. Then he shifted to Kensuke and they met each other's eyes and it was what Kensuke feared. Shinji did hold Kensuke a little a fault for this, Chidori was his friend and it wasn't as if that song and dance hadn't been done before. "It wasn't JUST what she put in my drinks," Shinji made it a point to make that clear.
Either to clear Kensuke's guilt or just being nice, Shinji was that type of guy. "What she gave me made me sick. T-then after I left Sakura-chan's," he didn't refute Touji's claim, "Rei-chan was there…she found me and gave me something else to knock me out. Misato-san said it was a plan to leave the city with me. Then when the angel attacked and Ritsuko-san had to give me more drugs to wake me up for combat. All those combined did a number on my body. Ritsuko-san said they don't play nicely together. So it wasn't all Nagato-san's fault, and I'm still not sure what I'd consider Sakura-chan and myself," Shinji finally rested his voice.
"Well sleep good man and see you when you're back in school. We can try talking to you about all this if you want," Kensuke rushed out of the room. Back to Nagato, Shinji wasn't using Chidori's first name anymore. That had told him enough, Shinji was angry and had every right to be. Hell Kensuke was angry enough at the girl to cut her off finally! "And he still has the gall to say he's not with her…Ayanami tried to...to…" Kensuke shuddered. Ayanami, girl tripped her crazy switch! Fixing his satchel though that bitterness sank in though, "He'll start dating Tachibana-san…there goes my chance."
Wrapping and arm around Kensuke and leading him towards the stairwell, Touji shocked him out of his funk. "Still going on about Tachibana? Give her up Ken, she's wrapped around Shinji's dick if he ever gets to it. Anyway, you're oh so precious vacation memory…it wasn't her," Touji dropped that little mental bomb as he opened the way down to his sister.
"Wait what? You remember what happened back in Okinawa? Why didn't you ever tell me?" Kensuke felt a flare of rage grow. It was always an ember when Touji was around, his friend yes but Touji just had that way of annoying a person. For so long he bemoaned his vague memory of that night, and to learn Touji knew the truth yet didn't say? That was just being a jerk! His smaller frame trembling, he'd never felt so ready to hit Touji than at that point, "So it was Hokari, that why you didn't tell me? Since you either lust over Katsuragi like a stalker or talk about class-rep!"
Looking about the hallway frantically, Touji yanked Kensuke into the stairwell to keep the gawkers down. "I didn't say anything because I didn't want you ending up with her. But with the Shinji business it's not likely now. But you nearly did the nasty with Nagato. I heard her all over you. Now if you're done freaking out, I'm going to go see Mari since I'm here," he was already walking down the stairs. The want for extra details or now, Touji didn't care he had his own agenda and was keeping to it.
"Chidori? It was…" Kensuke couldn't believe it! She'd never do that, nor would he! Over the years she made it obvious she didn't see him in that light, and he never saw her as anything other than a sibling! In a dull haze, he just walked down the steps slowly, one at a time, until he was finally outside the building. Pulling out his phone he looked at it. The plan was to call her and tell her over the phone 'sorry but I can't put up with it anymore' but now? He hit the button and it rang three times before picking up, "Hey Chidori you busy?"
In her best cutesy tone, "Oh I've always time for you Ken-Ken. Just getting ready for a date, some guy in the class over got some tickets to a concert I want to see. What you need?" Already onto another guy, what was it three this month already? She used guys like commodities, and they lined up to be used.
Humidity was horrid today, but Kensuke felt the warm/wet wind as a godsend, it woke him up. "I need to talk to you about Shinji. Just left the hospital with the details of what your little trick did to him. Can you be at my place in twenty minutes?" if she couldn't he'd tell her now. Over all the years, she deserved more than a phone call detachment, but if that's what she got it was just fate.
"Oh yeah…sure I'll be there. He's not really that bad right? Soryu was just exaggerating?" oh how that hope was sickening. It was a rare type that wanted to hurt others, and Chidori wasn't one of them.
Jogging now, he was pretty far from his home, Kensuke felt the sweat already dribbling down his back. "He's bad, well was bad and getting out tomorrow. Tell you more when you get here," he didn't give her a chance to reply. Phone back in his pocket, he was now running full tilt back. His bag bounced painfully against his back, but it was a good pain, it was real. Chidori and him in Okinawa, that didn't seem real. Ayanami hitting Shinji up with something equally bizarre. Everything was, all except that pain he felt. The door was unlocked when he got there, so he went right in. Chidori's shoes were there, "You beat me here."
"You run slow Ken," Chidori was pulling out one of his dad's bottles of Yebisu. Popping it open with a quick twist of the wrist, she drank some and offered the bottle to him. When he didn't take it she drained more of it. "So spill, kid's going to be alright isn't he?" the stress lines around her eyes the only betrayal that she actually cared. That face had been used to lie to many people, but Kensuke could read her to well now.
Falling into a kitchen chair, his lungs burning for air, Kensuke fanned himself with a flier for a delivery raman place. "He gets out tomorrow he thinks. Whatever you gave him got him really sick, but it wasn't just that that set him up like that," Kensuke noticed her shoulders rotate. A tell she was relieved. Hunching forward, observing the square patterns in the floor tiles, he felt that impending doom. "But that isn't why I called you over," time to cut the strings. She didn't care, Touji was just messing with him.
With a small jump she was sitting on the table next to the panting kid. "I knew she was freaking out. That girl is just one big piece of…" Chidori grumbled under her breathe a few choice words in regards to Asuka. Tapping the bottle against Kensuke's cheek, "So what did you need to tell me that you couldn't over the phone? I can't leave Tendo waiting, he'll think I blew him off."
A moment of courage and its done, "I can't keep doing this Chidori. I think it's time we keep to our respective social circles. Tachibana and Shinji are as close as I can help with. You've your legion of would be boyfriends and cliché of girls. So you don't need me anymore. I think its time we said our goodbyes." Kensuke looked forward into the living room, dad forgot his hat again. A crash, the sound of liquid flowing over the ground, he didn't expect that. "I better clean that, you have more than…" he thought she dropped it from to much drinking. Seeing her face though, it haunted him.
"W-what are you…you can't do that! You can't MEAN that!" Chidori was off the table in an instant. Her bare feet landed in the shattered bottle without care. Grabbing Kensuke's neck, her slender fingers were aflame with heat, "What do you mean said our goodbyes!"
He couldn't escape her hand, he tried but she just increased her pressure. "What's the big deal? You have enough people to help you with your school work. What can I really help you with anymore? I won't help with this Tachibana business anymore. Not after…after…" she was crying?! Kensuke saw her cry before, mostly at movies. Chidori was stupidly emotional at times, but this wasn't it. This wasn't normal.
"The big deal? THE BIG DEAL!? I love you, you stupid jerk! Can't you see that, do I have to spell it out for you? All these years, you think I stuck with you because you get me movies off the net? That I needed you for answers on a test? I…I…" her watch beeped. If she wanted to get to the concert on time she had to leave now. Turning it off, she just wrapped her arms around Kensuke and held fast. No talking, her tears subsided, but in a show of ownership, of refusing his words, she just latched on like a barnacle and didn't let go.
To stunned to comment, hell to even believe it, Kensuke just let her do as she wanted. It was what he always did anyway wasn't it? An hour of her holding him, she finally let go and Kensuke tended to her cut feet and bloody floor. No words, he didn't know what to say and she was to ashamed to speak. He made them some supper, instant food just like she hated him eating, and the scarfed it down. Then they just went their own ways. Chidori went home, and he went to bed. Maybe in the morning things would make sense…maybe then.
X-X
For the first time in almost a week, Shinji felt good. Physically anyway, mentally he was still a wreck and wanted nothing more than to just ignore everything. In the small bathroom in his hospital room, he examined his face closely. Misato was waiting outside so he had to at least put on a good face. If he didn't, Misato would make things worse for him. He was tired of people trying to tell him how sorry they were and how things will get better. Splashing some water on his face, the coldness was refreshing at least, "They mean well, but I'm just tired of it." Tired of everything. Everybody just…just hurt.
"You doing alright in there Shin-chan? Need your Misato-chan to come in and help?" Misato teased through the door. Her hand rapped on the door, and without waiting more than a few seconds or even a response she opened it. Peeking her head in, the concern clearly there, "Ready to head back home, or should I have Ritsuko give you another checkup?"
Meant well, Misato meant well in her smothering but it was so stifling. "I'm good Misato-san, just a little tired. Oh and I'm ready for some good food too," Shinji actually smiled as he dried his face. The food truly was bland and nasty at the hospital. Sad that he knew the better meals from the others from the number of times he'd been hospitalized. Heading towards Misato, the small pain of her betrayal was a cold ember now, he felt her hand wrap around his waist. Teasing already? At least some things didn't change, "The apartment have food in it, or am I going to have get some later?"
"I think we have some stuff for actual cooking. But if you're looking for instant food, we finished those," Misato sheepishly admitted. Leading the boy through the halls, nice and slow, Misato kept a close eye on him to insure he wasn't faking his convalescence. Getting to the waiting room, "Have a seat Shin-chan, I'll pull the car around and get you. Not good if you overexert yourself once you get out. Asuka would kill me, she's getting a little antsy." With a toying kiss to his temple Misato skipped off.
Finding a chair across from a man in a face-mask, Shinji sank into it. "Maybe I should have taken another day here," Shinji muttered under his breath. Going back to the real world meant dealing with other people. People that lied to him, tricked him, used him, or otherwise hurt him. So many times it happened, it was so hard to trust anybody. For everybody that did something good for him, Shinji had a counter point of how they did him wrong! "And nobody is telling me about Rei-chan," Shinji's head sunk low.
"Are you talking about me?" a familiar voice called out with a hint of alien. Popping her head out from behind a medical cart that was left unattended, a girl with familiar red eyes and blue hair had a soft smile. Standing over the cart, hands on it, she tilted her head as her eyes went wide, "I…I know you! I know you! Don't tell me…"
He felt his bowels clench and his loins tighten as his heart sped up! "Rei-chan what are…you've been at this hospital too? I thought they'd keep you at the base!" Shinji was off his chair and to her side instantly. If she was here that meant she wasn't going to be punished for…well not really kidnapping as he'd have voluntarily went with her. Things were confusing about that day, he'd never fully trust Chidori ever again. Maybe he'd forgive Sakura as she seemed to be tricked as well, but not Nagato! Grabbing for Rei's hands, Shinji felt tears stinging his eyes, tears of joy, "What's happened since…since Misato picked us up?"
"I said I know you, but I don't remember you. Everything is jumbled. Faces, names, everything is…cloudy," Rei pushed Shinji's hands away from her. Taking a step back, a smidgeon of fear in her eyes, Rei used the cart as a shield from the abrasive boy. Idly plucking a bottle off the cart she opened it after reading the label. "Oh this is tasty," she poured it down her throat and tossed the jar in the connected trash bin.
Don't remember…don't remember!? Shinji just stood there stock still unable to even comprehend what Rei was saying. "C-cloudy? What do you mean? How-how can you forget me, forget us?" his hands wildly waved back and forth between them. What she had drunk he didn't know, the cold sensation he felt since he woke after the battle was deepening.
"Cloudy means cloudy, silly. I know I've seen you before, it feels warm to see you. But beside that, nothing," her thighs rubbed tellingly as she spoke. Moving away from the cart, back to her chair that was laden with candy wrappers and empty bags of chips, a veritable pile of junk food packages, Rei plopped right on them. "Where is that fucking bottle blond to get me out of here," she griped.
Dumbstruck, Shinji just stood there hovering over the cart until Misato came back. He half heard her calling to him, not wanting to wait, when he just kept watching Rei sit there though she had to come. "Misato-san, something is wrong…R-Rei-san is…different," Shinji turned to Misato when she touched his shoulder. The voice, the body language, everything was just not her! What was this farce?
Gasping quite loud, Misato hadn't been expected Rei either from the look of it. "Ayanami, what are you doing here? Ritsuko said you were supposed to be on base for observation!" Misato let a dragon slip. For the last two days all Misato said about Rei was she was on base, that she didn't know about the girl. Guess she knew more than she had told Shinji, not surprising given the track record. Looking down at Shinji, Misato gripped him harder, "What do you mean she's different?"
"I guess that's because I'm the third, or maybe the first," Rei said looking up at the pair with a hint of boredom. Yawning and fanning the sound coming out of her mouth like an instrument, Rei tittered at her acoustic abilities. Balling up the wrappers and bags, the crinkled garishly, Rei played with them, "While he is warm, looking at you woman…I get all cold. Don't like you at all."
Rushing into the waiting room, a frantic and panting Ritsuko was yelling, "Ayanami! I told you to wait in the test room! Why did you go wandering…Misato, Shinji?" Ritsuko's run slowed to a crawl and she sheepishly looked back the way she came. "I-I brought her here for a test I couldn't do at the base, my equipment is down for repairs. Didn't want you to…I wanted to brace you for her condition," Ritsuko was looking solely at Shinji.
"What happened to her, will she get better, will she remember?" Shinji watched Rei get up and practically dance over to Ritsuko's side. It was wrong, watching her be so different was wrong! That pinch in his heart intensified to unfelt levels. Rei, the girl that had never hurt him voluntarily, who always tried to do her best for their relationship, didn't remember him. "And what do you mean the Third?" Shinji didn't want to cry again, he was so tired of crying!
Propelling Rei towards the door, Ritsuko stopped to answer the questions as quickly as she could on her escape flight. "I don't know, she woke up like this, I don't know," and she sounded so sincere. Actually pushing Rei towards the door, "Get in the car and I'll be right out," the look between them had to be something as Rei took a shocked step back and then trotted off. Spinning on her heels back to the pair, "Don't look at me like that Misato, I didn't do anything to her! That girl is acting exactly like that since she woke up. Commander wants her discharged from the base and back to her apartment, which one I don't know. OH and he's promoted you so…we not all bad." She sounded so pitiful when she finished.
"C-could you keep me posted? Can I t-talk to her?" Shinji had to have hope! The storm his life had become, Rei had been the one light that helped see a reason to go on, and now it was getting muddy. With the Sakura issue in debate, could he truly trust her if she was Chidori's friend, he felt as if he was cast adrift. Misato's hands massaged his shoulders, just as pensive as he was, reminded Shinji that he'd always have Misato at least. Even if she did lie to him on occasion, she had his best interests at heart. And noticing how sad Ritsuko looked, Shinji also knew she'd be there for him. "M-Misato-san how about we have a little celebration for your promotion too…I'll cook something for all of us tonight?" something to focus on would be lovely.
Sniffing hard, Misato wrapped her arms around Shinji's neck and rested her head on his. Pressing her body against his, "That's a great idea, you can go over some of this stuff tonight, right Ritsuko?" Shinji felt Misato's chin shifting against his head, her body pressed fully against his. If he was like Touji he'd have noticed just as full figured she was, all Shinji noticed was she was comfortable. "Get going before she does something stupid," Misato barked and Ritsuko fled without a word.
"What is happening here, Misato-san?" Shinji asked as Misato started walking again yet not releasing him. Ritsuko was a frightened animal, Rei was different, and Misato was far more clingy than normal. His friends were treating him like glass or ignoring him, and all he had left was…well he didn't know really. Getting into the idling car, Shinji strapped in as Misato walked around and got in. Just after noon, Misato had to wait for a number of people to get out of her way. Fatigue worked into him again, odd that despite being bedridden for days he was tired again, "You'd tell me if you knew right?"
Speeding off, Misato's face darkened as one hand was on the wheel and the other the shifter. "You might not remember, but when I picked Rei and you up before the angel," Misato swallowed and her brow furrowed. Deep creases lined her forehead as she debated on what to say, "Ayanami said she'd be…well she said if she went back with us she would be killed, that she was the second. I didn't understand what she meant, but that girl said she was the third. I'll ask Ritsuko about it later." Misato didn't sound as if she was talking to Shinji, more talking to herself and letting Shinji eavesdrop.
Speeding up, Misato switched lanes without much thought, more muttering to herself only to soft for Shinji to make out. Bits and pieces of words didn't help, yet she showed she was able to drive without really looking at the roads. Pulling into the parking lot of the apartment, "Welcome home, Shinji-kun. We've missed you, all three of us." Misato would always include her odd bird it seemed. Helping him up the stairs, Misato put her best face forward, but Shinji could see the truth peeking through the cracks. She was perplexed by things, didn't even seem to care about her new rank.
"I missed being here too," Shinji admitted as Misato opened the door. It wasn't a lie either, at least when he was at the apartment things were a fairly known quantity. Misato was a tease, Asuka was a friend, and Pen-Pen was a pest. Nice controlled environment without all the hassles of the heart, well more dramatic issues of the heart. The first thing Shinji noticed when walking into the apartment was the smell. It was musty, like Rei's place after they had a vigorous session. A lot of airing out was going to be needed. Next came the mess, not the worst, which would need to be addressed. Laughing lightly, more constants, "So what should I tackle first? Laundry, the mess, the smell, or food?"
Walking out of her room, Asuka quickly alternated between the two, clad in her sleeping attire she blinked rapidly. "You were bringing him home already? I thought you said it wouldn't be until after your shift!" Asuka accused angrily as she back peddled towards her den. Clad in her undergarments left her frazzled, too much free time without a guy around the apartment must have loosened up the dress code.
Snickering to himself, Shinji just headed to the kitchen. If Asuka skipped school she'd be hungry soon, so lunch was the priority. He overhead Asuka and Misato arguing about the day's events. Misato was angry Asuka skipped school, Asuka was pissed Misato didn't let her know Shinji was being brought back early. Filling Pen-Pen's empty bowl with food, he wasn't surprised when the fowl dashed over to it and feasted. "Guess they've been forgetting about you?" he pet the bird's head and it 'warked' at him as customary.
"Stupid jerk, not telling me you were getting out early! Bet you just wanted to see me dress like that," Asuka let her presence be known. Not just with her words, but she trailed his spine with her hand. When he stood up they both went to hug the other only to stop or collide, they tried again mirroring the others action, then Shinji just laughed and stopped. A moment later Asuka had him lifted off the ground as she gave him a hug. "Sorry for everything, Baka. Told Nagato I'm not helping her in her stupid schemes anymore. That girl can do her own dirty work from now on. Forgive me?" she twirled him around and let him go. With a small frown, "You're thinner than before."
Well a total liquid diet, having his stomached pumped, and all the other things Ritsuko did to him, Shinji didn't think it unnatural. "If you knew she was going to do that, I'd not forgive you, but somehow I don't think you're the type to stoop to that type of thing," Shinji witnessed sweet relief wash over Asuka. Asuka wouldn't lie, cheat, or steal her way into a relationship, she'd just walk to the guy and lay it all flat out. Made him wonder what she had planned for Kaji. Gathering a few ingredients nearing their expiration date, Shinji had the meal plan ready. "Why did you skip school?" he couldn't help but ask.
"Wanted to clean this sty up a little before you got here, but cap…major lush just had to make it a surprise," Asuka took a chair and sat. As Shinji cooked, Asuka talked as she was oft want to do. School events, TV shows he missed, and other banal chatter that filled the room with energy. Misato made an appearance to say she was off to get some food for the party and to invite a few friends over. Asuka instantly went off called Kaji and then Hikari.
Alone in the kitchen, Shinji was glad for it. While being surrounded by Misato and Asuka felt good, he felt an approaching fit of depression coming. So as he cooked he did finally break and cry hard. It was easy to keep the sound down, Asuka's voice drowned it out. Just to much, to much happening to fast and it was all crashing down on him. Rei…the girl he loved didn't remember him, hell she wasn't the same girl! He'd call Touji and Kensuke about the party, politely ask Kensuke not to bring Chidori, and hope he kept it together when they asked about Rei.
He did, thankfully and just barely. Touji came, but Shinji couldn't get hold of Kensuke. The party was a light affair, more drinking on the adults sides, Kaji and Misato being quite chummy in Shinji's mind. What amazed him was how Ritsuko talked to him more candidly than normal. She seemed happier, brighter, than before. When Asuka, a few hidden drinks under her belt, noticed the pair talking demanded Shinji stay away from the old woman and play with people his own age. Touji seemed enthralled by everything, and Maya was skulking around the room while Makoto and his girlfriend mostly stayed to themselves on the couch. It was messy, it was noisy, and yet Shinji enjoyed it as it was a convenient way to not think about things.
When he woke up the next morning, thankfully Sunday, Shinji found his bed wasn't empty. He hadn't drunk so he wasn't worried something happened, but he was stunned when he saw the occupant (he suspected Asuka at first) turned out to be the lovely Ritsuko Akagi sawing logs and her top torn open. "At least she's healing nicely," Shinji commented on the healing bruises as he covered her up. Such a nice woman, she deserved better than what life gave her. Debating getting up and cooking, he opted out and went back to sleep, not the first time he slept in the same bed as a woman.
X-X
Author Notes
This was a harder chapter to write, more response and trying to balance Ritsuko's wanting to change but still lingering affection. Plus…you don't drug somebody and they just get over it. Hope you enjoyed it and see what I'm trying to do.
Ja Mata
Zentrodie