-AN-
This idea has been burning away in my head for a long while, so I'm going to give it a go. Because if I don't it's going to keep distracting me. So I have to get it out. I'm going for more humor/fun in this story. Only light drama because well, that's eva. Let's have fun and see where this goes.
-Story Start-
Shinji was staring at the ceiling this morning, worn out, but alive. Last night the boy had been much to awake to even think of sleeping, memories and emotions playing out through him as the full events of his first angel battle hit him. He had piloted a giant robot, he had killed a space alien! It had taken a lot for his mind to finally calm down. But in the morning the young man woke up refreshed and ready to start a new life. He had things to do however before Misato was fully awake, and today he was starting school. So first thing to do was to pick up his Nerv issued phone and open it to it's built in employee program. From there he held up his Nerv id card, waiting until it scanned and displayed his information. Scrolling past his name, title, and a list of personal information, he found the page listing banking and payment information. Seeing what he wanted with a grin, the boy closed his phone and dressed. While he hadn't had a real chance to shop or stock the kitchen, that all could be done later today, again before Misato got home from Nerv. So with a knowing smile the boy was out of the door and down the street in hopes of hitting the local electronics store before needing to get to school. He was already going to be in trouble for not checking in, like usual, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. Time waited for no one after all, and Shinji had learned that lesson thoroughly.
Not long later and leaving the store he was making his way into the people traffic of the early morning. Shinji was already hard at work, back of the phone off and playing around, it took all of a few seconds to damage the recording chip built into all Tokyo-3 phones. From there he turned the prepay phone on and dialed a number from heart, already holding it away from his ear.
"YOU ASSHOLE! DON'T YOU KNOW IT'S LIKE MIDNIGHT HERE!"
Sighing he brought the phone back to his ear with a tired smile, "You always get mad if I don't call right away, so here I am."
"Damn right! You're always so late! So, you know you're job right?"
Rolling his eyes Shinji nodded even though he knew the person on the other side of the phone couldn't see him, "Not like we haven't gone over it, like a thousand times. How're things on your end?"
A soft feminine growl met him, "How do you think? There's not much I can do until I get there. But I haven't murdered anyone." Small miracle that.
"Not even him?"
"Don't tempt me, I wanted to."
"After the last time, fair. I'll check in again later on, and I'll try not to mess anything up."
"You better not! We planned this out so no ruining my fun."
"Yeah yeah, love you too. See ya." Getting a cheeky reply, Shinji shut off the phone and stashed it away into his pocket. He wasn't looking forward to school for a lot of reasons, but right now it was mainly that he was tired. Sure he had just gotten up, but he already felt like he had to much to do. Was it to early to just jump in front of a truck? Waving off that dark thought, Shinji entered the school and readied himself for the day. Which, after getting registered and picking up his schedule and school laptop, he was introduced and seated along the wall of windows of class 2-A. Already bored and looking out the window, he zoned out for most of the first wave of teachers and classes. It was just before the lunch period that he received a message on his terminal.
'Hey, are you the pilot of that robot?'
Rolling his eyes he ignored the message and went back to watching the traffic drive by. So many people going about their days. He wondered what it was like sometimes, to have something to look forward to. To have a normal existence in a life that many got to live. There was another ping.
'It's you isn't it?'
Groaning and typing up his reply, 'Wouldn't they have like a trained military dude do that?' He sat back and returned to day dreaming. In the reflection he caught his fellow pilot, bandaged but attending school, watching him calmly. He just wanted to be left in peace by his fellow students for a few more days. He could hope and dream couldn't he?
By lunch he was on the roof, eating quietly by himself and watching the clouds drift by. Wouldn't it be nice to be a cloud, to drift aimlessly above it all and not having to worry about responsibilities. The door behind him opened and the blue hair of Rei Ayanami walked into view. She closed the door behind herself and walked towards him before settling in next to him on the rooftop. Neither said anything and for now that suited Shinji just fine. They sat in silence for most of the break period, just comfortable in the shared space.
"You're here."
"I said I would be."
Again they returned to silence, only slightly leaning into each other. Before long they returned to class to finish out the day, the class new kid drawing eerie similarities to their resident blue haired anti-social window watcher. Shinji had no problem answering any of his teacher's questions when called on, and ignored the occasional message on his terminal for the rest of the day. No one bothered him or attempted to make friends yet, but it was his first day after all. And as he left school alone walking away to lose himself among the crowd, it was an afternoon of shopping, ordering some supplies from specialty stores, and then finally home to begin the ritual of cleaning, organizing, and finally preparing dinner. And when his roommate and superior Misato Katsuragi finally managed to make it home, she was met with a cold beer and an already fed PenPen.
"Wow, I didn't know you could cook." She hadn't gotten around to reading his file yet, but this was a nice surprise. She wasn't exactly the home making type.
Smiling and leaning back to take in the captain as she made her way to her room to change, Shinji nodded, "Hope you don't mind, but you did tell me to make myself at home." Idly working his wok, a noodle stir fry in the works, he let his hands and body go through the practiced motions. "Is there anything you don't like or especially do like? I can look up how to make it?"
Calling out to him as she made it to her room and began changing, Misato thought it over before shaking her head, "If you're cooking I'll eat probably anything. I'm a military girl, we don't usually get options." As her skirt hit the ground and she exchanged it for her customary jean shorts, she tossed her jacket and work shirt off to a corner. "As long as there's always beer in the house I'm probably good. But I can get that." And that pesky bra was now flying away.
Shinji counted down the seconds before Misato was flowing back into the kitchen with a smile and a carefree attitude. "I'm sure I could get your preferred brand when I go shopping. Having my Nerv id is a plus in this city." That she hadn't told him about all of the card's functions yet never hit her as she assumed that was Ritsuko's duty.
"Well well, aren't you the dutiful man. You're gonna make a lucky girl very happy one day Shin-chan!" Dropping into her seat at the table she opened her first beer and chugged it, finishing it with a whoop and a grin, "Ah that's the best way to end a day." Shinji rolled his eyes and turned back to dinner, still unsure about all the beer he found in the fridge. How could anyone survive drinking that much? He'd never understand probably. "So how was your day today? School go alright? Make any friends?"
Shinji shrugged, "It's the first day, so I'm sure everyone is trying to make up their minds about me. But tomorrow is a new day." A saying he didn't always use, but picked up from somewhere along the way. It was calming sometimes. "Oh, I did meet up with Ayanami-san, it's fortunate we have the same class."
Misato nodded at that, "It's important to keep all of the pilots together, so you both will be close by for emergencies." However Misato was trying to get away from work talk, "Though just because you have to pilot doesn't mean you can't get a little girlfriend."
Sputtering and shaking a spoon at the laughing woman, Shinji turned back to his work. As she drank and he eventually dished out food, the young man smiled and endured the older woman's teasing. This was nice, simple. Better than his teacher's home, and definitely better than being around his father. This would be a good life. As the night went on and Misato finally called off for bed, half drunkenly stumbling away, it was a relieved Shinji that was cleaning in the kitchen. The simple chores allowed him to zone out for a while, getting used to the feel of the apartment around him. He still had some things to arrange and move, but he had time for that tomorrow. Feeling his second phone vibrating in his pocket he shook his head with a smile as he answered it. "Guten Tag."
"You're german is still trash."
"Warum bist du so gemein?" There was a small smirk on the boy's face.
"Cause you like it and can you focus please?"
"Yeah yeah, I thought everything was good till you got here?" Shinji moved the phone to his shoulder as he went back to cooking.
"What, I can't call just so talk?" The boy remained silent for a minute in which the female on the other end sighed, "Okay, yeah I get it. But still, I was….worried."
"I'm okay, I talked to Rei today."
"Did you two actually talk or do that weird twin thing you do and just sit in silence."
Mentally cursing the girl for knowing him to well, Shinji put a now clean plate on the drying rack, "Don't judge us, it works."
"Uh huh. I'd like to say it doesn't, but you have a habit of proving me wrong."
"Ich bin genial."
"God you're such a prick. Oh, and you're boxes should be there soon."
"Oh god thanks, I was starting to get bored."
"You are not allowed to improvise before I get there."
"I am but a man, and a man lusts for adventure." He just knew the face she was making right now, and wished he was there to take a picture.
"You really are hopeless. Look, I gotta go, take care okay? Love you."
"Love you too." There was a click and then he was on his own. The phone was slipped back into his pocket and he was able to fully focus on his task. Tomorrow was a new day.
-b-
The next day after school found Shinji in probably the most boring place he could think of, suited up and being loaded into the test plug for Unit 1. Breathing deeply in the lcl and flipping through control settings, he only half listened to the instructions from Ristuko and the bridge staff.
"Now Shinji, today is just some target practice, nothing to taxing. We need to calibrate you to the machine and then you'll be done." Ristuko frowned slightly as the boy quietly agreed, but let it go as the plug was loaded into Unit 1. "Okay everyone, let's spin up Unit 1 and get this test battery started."
Shinji however was prepping himself for a different experience, "This part never gets old." As the giant bio-mechanical machine around him began to hum with life, he felt the gentle and then increasingly firm tug on his mind. Closing his eyes and letting go for the moment, he let the machine have it's way. It took only a moment for the tug to settle into a more dull throb, and Shinji opened his eyes to the pribnow box and the lab staff in their safe little box in the wall. Blinking with eyes not his, Shinji got a feel for things.
"Ok Shinji, you're stable at 55%, very nice. Let's begin the simulation." Ritsuko had raised eyebrows as the boy complied without a word. Turning she looked back at the captain who was harboring the child, "He seems, different."
Misato shrugged, "He's had a chance to rest and make a home for himself. Maybe that's all he needed."
The scientist however wasn't fully convinced, "That's a mighty big jump in sync rate for just needing some down time. If it was that easy I'd send Rei on a vacation."
Misato pointed at Ritsuko with her mug of coffee, "Maybe it's cause he get's to room with me? Proper motivation and all?" Striking a pose, she was rewarded with a snort from one of the staff.
Ritsuko shook her head, "It's a wonder they let a child watch a child." Turning away from the other woman and missing Misato giving her the finger, she leaned over Maya, "How's he doing?"
Maya was blushing at the close contact but focused on the work, "No problems with target acquisition or weapon usage. Synchronization is stable."
"That's good, maybe we can drop the plug depth a bit, see if his sync rate will bump up."
While the science team did their job, Misato watched the evangelion move about the test area. The fake rifle bucking as a real one would, but no ammunition was being used. She still wished adults could pilot these machines. It felt dirty to use children like this.
Shinji's voice spoke up over the speakers, "Miss Ristuko, I have a question."
Ritsuko sighed, not ready for some inane prattling, "Yes what is it Shinji-kun?"
"Well, my teacher was always big on military history, and one big dogma was to keep the enemy as far away from you as possible…"
"Yes yes, that's what guns are for Shinji-kun."
Shinji nodded, "And what if the guns don't work? The progressive knife is awfully small."
Snorting Misato strode forward, "Some would say it's perfectly adequate Shinji-kun." Sticking out her tongue at her friend, Ristuko took back over.
"There's no reason to believe the assault rifle won't work Shinji-kun. No reason for you to worry."
"If you say so, just seems like if I had a choice for an emergency weapon, couldn't I have something a little longer? Like a scaled tanto or maybe a hatchet?" Idea planted, the boy went back to training.
Misato turned to a perturbed Ritsuko, "He does kinda have a point."
"He would if the rifle didn't work. But we don't know that it won't yet."
"We also don't know if it will."
"Let me handle the science of putting holes in skyscraper sized monsters. You handle battle planning." Ritsuko was already turning away, leaving Misato to lean against the desk.
"Ooooh touchy." Looking through the bank of windows at the giant machine however, Misato herself couldn't let go of the thought. Why did they only have that tiny knife? They knew the sonic based blade worked so why wouldn't they scale that up to other weapons? Her mind now whirling, she was off to her desk to actually get to some work done.
Shinji however continued with the test, bored and almost willing to start playing around if just to get a reaction from the staff. But knowing the lecture he would get later, decided against it. So he pressed on, doing as he was told before eventually being released to the showers where he was able to scrub the lcl from his body and hair.
"Never gonna get completely used to this smell." Turning up the heat a bit, enjoying the steam and the sensation against his skin, Shinji did his best to clear the clumped fluid from his hair. Today hadn't been a bad day he decided, school was boring, he had little to do around the house, and training was predictable. Now if only…
"Shinji-kun! You ready to go? I'm hungry!" Misato was calling from the locker room entrance, a respectable distance from the showers.
"Yeah just a minute!" Sighing and shutting off the water, deciding this was probably the best he was gonna get, he dried off and dressed quickly. Just finishing buttoning up his shirt as he walked out he met up with Misato, "Want me to cook again tonight?"
Misato turned and led the way, "You don't have to if you don't want to, we can get take out."
"That's not good for you, Misato-san."
"If it wasn't good for me, then why does it taste so good?"
"I could teach you how to cook?"
Misato gave the boy a dead stare, "Trust me, you don't want me in the kitchen." Shinji believed her with every fiber of his being. "So, take out?"
Shinji nodded, "Sure, only every once in a while, I like to eat healthy." He'd really have to set a schedule and start working out properly again soon, he was all noodle like.
Misato looked the boy over, "I didn't peg you as the healthy type? Is that why you get up so early, going for a run first thing?"
"Something like that."
As the two talked and made their way back home, stopping for take out and beer, things for their evening seemed different as there were boxes outside of their neighboring apartment. There were also several boxes outside of their door,
MIsato looked them over as Shinji carried their bags, "Huh, I didn't know you had luggage coming Shinji." In retrospect, she should have thought it weird that a kid only came with a backpack and nothing else. Someone his age should have had some possessions.
Shinji looked over the three brown shipping boxes. Of course her warning was a little late, she probably had the day memorized, "Yeah, I left some books behind, wanted to have them shipped once I had an address." Following Misato into the apartment, he put the food on the table before heading back outside, propping the door open so he could move his things.
"What kinda books are you interested in Shinji?" Ready wasn't really her thing, paperwork usually had her burned out from reading anything by the end of the day. She could show some interest in her charge's hobbies.
"Oh uh, science fiction and the like. Some reference books." As he struggled with the first box that took a minute to deposit in his bed room, he returned for the next one.
Misato thumped a hand into her first, "Oh, about our neighbor!"
"Yes Misato-san?" He didn't remember these boxes being this heavy.
"So the other pilot, Ayanami, is moving in next door. Her apartment block burned down. We thought it best if you both lived close to each other." She had nearly forgotten, but seeing all the boxes outside jump started her memory. "Hey, maybe you could be a good neighbor and help her out."
Shinji walked by with the box and tried to nod and not show he was struggling. This wasn't manly at all. He definitely was going to start working out properly. "S-s-sure. One more box and I'll go check if she would like help." Next box dropped, he was back out the door. He nearly missed the head of blue hair disappearing into the next apartment over, but he shook his head and grabbed the last and thankfully lighter box.
Misato watched the boy work with a smile before deciding it was time to change and enjoy her evening, "Now don't stay over there to late, and make sure to come back and eat properly okay?" The boy needed to loosen up a bit in her opinion, but at least he wasn't a complete introvert.
Waving as he walked back outside Shinji promised that he would be back soon. Unblocking the door and walking over to the next apartment, Shinji didn't bother knocking as he walked inside. "Rei?"
"Shinji-kun." She was standing there just inside the door, school uniform on with bandages.
"How did they expect you to move things when you're hurt?" She merely looked at him, though there was a glint in her eyes, "Ah, me."
"Correct."
Taking a moment to prop her door open as well, Shinji began moving boxes to where she directed. "You know, I'm surprised you don't have section-2 doing this."
"Your father vetoed the idea." She had him putting several boxes in the living room.
"Huh, odd that." He didn't say a word as she made him move several boxes slightly to the left or right from where he put them. All of this was feeling vaguely familiar.
"Also, your cello was delivered here." Tone never changed, same deadpan as usual.
As he walked outside and then back in with another box, this one marked for kitchen, he sighed, "And how did that happen?"
"Substandard shipping employees, most likely."
"Ah hah." He had time in the silence to move a few more boxes before he focused on her, "And where is my cello?"
"Safe."
"Can I have it back?"
"Yes." She did not move.
"Are we really doing this?"
"I do not know what you mean."
Shinji sighed as he left again, coming to the idea that he wasn't going to be playing any music for some time. Most likely when someone else finally showed up, or when he gave in. Whichever happened first. Several more trips in silence as the quiet girl directed him, he was down to the last few boxes all labeled bedroom. Picking up the first one he turned back to follow the girl. While this new apartment mirrored his own if only mirrored, she had taken up residence in what would have been Misato's room. Beginning to fill the room with several boxes, he spied his cello case in the corner. "You know, I could just grab my cello now."
"But you won't." She was behind him suddenly, the last box in her arms.
Watching her quietly complete the stack he had made, the slightly annoyed boy gave her a look, "You couldn't helped all this time?"
"Of course."
"Why didn't you?"
"I'm a precious flower that should not do heavy labor." Again with the flat tone, but Shinji was no longer buying it.
"She's corrupted you." Tired but knowing better than to argue with a woman, Shinji stood up straight so he could go. He had cold take out waiting for him and a kitchen to clean. Yay.
Placing her box down, the quiet girl stood and turned back to him, "You do not have to go, you could stay." The boy gave her a flat look, "It is not a complete deviation from the plan." The look did not change, "It'll be fun?" If anything the look got more flat if that was possible, "I'm a dainty flower who does not want to be alone?"
Shaking his head and walking out, he was officially tired, "She's absolutely corrupted you." The blue haired pilot was blocking his way however. She did not say a word but Shinji decided she did not need to. Looking at the girl silently, something unsaid was in her eyes he noticed. It took him a full minute of watching her before it finally clicked. "Ah." Stepping forward he brought the girl into his arms, hugging her properly. "Love you."
"Love you too, baka."
Nodding and realizing he hadn't told the girl such since he had entered the city, he stepped back and caught the smile on her face before she dropped it, "So how'd you manage a apartment here anyway?"
Rei put her arm back in the sling, walking down the hallway to let him out, "There was a fire."
Shinji wasn't buying it, "Said fire wasn't started by a blue haired pilot was it?" At her very profound silence, Shinji walked out the door with a grin, "If anyone is going to change the plan it's you."
"I'm here the longest, I should be able to." Bidding the boy goodnight, Shinji watched the door close and turned back to his own apartment. He wondered if it would be suspicious if he took out a life insurance policy for his father. Surely not.
-b-
As Shinji was laid out on the ground behind the school ground, he remembered why he wasn't looking forward to today. Even though he had been able to keep the fact that he was the evangelion pilot a secret, Toji was due back today, and their resident hacker had somehow given him the idea that Shinji just had to be the pilot. Hurt sister plus robot battle plug pilot in sight equaled a fist to the face Shinji. Sighing and dragging himself up he stared at Toji as he messaged his knuckles.
"Sorry new kid, but I can't past the fact that my sister was hurt because of you." Toji wasn't normally a violent person, but with no outlet for his rage over his little sister's pain, Shinji was the perfect target.
Kensuke leaned over from behind him, "Sorry about this. His sister was hurt during that robot battle." That said little girl was supposed to be in a shelter, and wasn't, went unsaid.
Shinji noddd, "And beating me up helps, how?"
Both boys stopped short, Toji with a frown on his face, "What?" He watched as Shinji stood up in front of him, "Say that again."
Shinji rubbed his cheek, "How is decking me supposed to help? Your sister is still hurt, I still have to pilot, and that means protecting guys like you." The smaller boy didn't flinch as Toji walked up and grabbed him by the collar, "You can punch me again, but the facts won't change."
"You're a smart ass aren't you. Why don't you take responsibility and take your beating!"
Shinji sighed, "Who said I haven't?" Watching the taller boy wind up, the angel alarms began to sound. Behind them Rei made herself known,
"We've been called." She didn't wait, walking away to a waiting group of section-2 gaurds.
Shinji pulled himself free, "You don't know what piloting is like, be happy about that." And then Shinji himself was gone as well, Misato's car swerving around the corner as Rei was driven away.
Climbing into the car and immediately being thrown into the seat by the g forces, Shinji sighed, "I'd rather not be dead before the angel battle." That earned him a hard swerve around a slow moving truck and his shoulder hitting the window.
Misato was all grins however, "What was that back there? Need section-2 to rough some kids up?"
Shinji shook his head in the negative, "Nah, that was just me making some friends." They were idiots sure, but still friends.
Misato decided that even older she would still never understand men and their caveman antics, she focused on driving and making record time to base instead. "You know, you seem very calm about this. The first battle you were freaking out like crazy."
"And then I won. Everyone has had me training and getting more familiar with the Eva, so I have a good feeling about today."
The military officer however felt the need to caution the boy, "Overconfidence is dangerous, just remember to follow my orders okay? Don't be reckless."
Shinji was silent for a while as they were making their way down into the geofront, "Will do, I'll follow orders to the letter." Even if he had been expecting it, he still was upset about getting punched in the face. He wanted to clear this up quickly and go home. Sleep sounded really good. Letting his mind wander as everything from here was somewhat standard. From making their way into the base and him being shuffled from the locker room, to changing and then to the gantry and the plug. It was as the plug was being lifted that he stopped zoning out and focused on the task at hand.
Ritsuko watched the monitors as they followed the eva start up sequence, sync rate again holding at 55% and stable. Something about that irked her, but she couldn't comment on it yet, "Remember Shinji, we will be launching you near a pallet rifle, from there you know what to do."
Maya came on the speaker, "The fourth angel has been confirmed, entering the city now. Visual on screen!" In front of Shinji the flying purple monster was in clear high definition.
"Huh, pretty sure that's a penis."
Snorting and falling in love with this kid Misato put on her headset and clicked in, "As impressive as it looks, that's the angel, destroy it by any means necessary."
Shinji hummed in agreement as the eva lift finally reached the catapult, "Complete and utter destruction, coming right up!" The catapult activated and Eva unit 1 was blasted towards the surface.
Ritsuko turned to Misato, "There is something wrong with that kid. He's already turning into you."
"Great minds think alike." Misato however was a little concerned. He had almost no fear going into this battle. Was it just overconfidence from training so well? As the eva reached the street level and was released from it's holding clamps, Misato focused on the task at hand, "Grab the provided rifle and let's get to work Shinji-kun."
Shinji did just that, willing the eva to acquire the rifle before extending his at field. From there as he felt the two fields meet, he opened fire. Watching the rounds bounce off the angel's hide however, he was already moving, whips of light extending for the position he was already in, "Well that's not working." Flipping away from the counter attack, he let loose another short volley being careful not to obscure his view with smoke.
Misato however was giving Ritsuko a smug look, "Well would you look at that." Seeing the scientist suck her teeth, Misato turned back to the monitors, "Keep it busy, we're going to highlight other rifle points around the city. You might have to get in close." Which wasn't ideal at all, those whips were cutting through buildings like butter.
Shinji rolled away from another attack as he current gun was split in two, "Lovely." Watching several red dots appear on the map at the corner of his vision, he missed the tendril that wrapped around his ankle, "Oh motherfu-"
Ignoring the boy's swearing, Misato turned down to the techs as the evangelion was sent flying through the air to land on the nearby mountain. "Pilot status?"
"He's okay, but his cable was cut."
"Five minutes of active time remaining!"
Turning to look at the panting boy on the monitor Misato keyed her radio again, "Gonna highlight power socket points, get one and let's get at it again." True to his word so far the boy was listening to her directions. She couldn't ask for better from someone who was a civilian before all this.
Shinji shook his head as the fourth angel was making way for the mountain. Looking down at his hand he frowned at the two classmates sitting between his finger, "Oh you gotta be kidding me." Seeing the computer highlight and identify the two, Shinji decided today was probably the worst day so far. "Gonna have to improvise!" He activated his progressive knife.
Misato heard him and saw the display pull up the video of his classmates, "We're gonna have to evacuate those two, they're in the way." She racked her brain for options and came up with one that wasn't going to make her techy friend happy. "You're going to have to let them in the plug!"
Ritsuko turned harshly, "There will be to much noise! He won't be able to move!"
"So what we let them die?"
Shinji however was taking aim, "Third option!" With his right hand, he threw the progressive knife. It tumbled end over end, slipping between the angel's whips which Shinji barely had time to block before piercing the angel's core. There was a moment of intense sparks and a shriek of anger from the monster as Shinji's hands burned from the backlash of holding the tendrils, and then there was nothing. The angel collapsed on it's side, tendrils going dark and allowing Shinji to toss them away.
Everyone in the Nerv command center was quiet, blinking at the monitors as the reality of the dead angel filtered into their minds. Maya knocked some of them loose, "Confirmed loss of blue pattern, angel destroyed."
Misato was next, half wanting to cheer, "Get to a plug station and then to a lift before your timer runs out, it's a hell of a lot of work to pick up a battery dead eva." Watching the boy comply, Misato turned to one of the bridge techs, "Aoba, call up security and have them gather up those kids, I'd like to have a word with them."
Shinji came back on the radio, "So do I get to say I told you so?"
Misato chuckled as he dye blonde friend ground her teeth, "We'll see about making you some longer distance weapons in the future little ninja." That throw had been impressive, made more so that it was something he had done on the fly. They hadn't trained that into him. Maybe with this boy, things would work out after all.
Shinji however was thinking about just what a headache this was. First plugging into a power station and then making his way towards a recovery lift. The pain wasn't a problem, that was familiar to him. No his problem was that he hadn't caught himself zoning out earlier. He'd have to focus harder in the future. At least no one had picked up on his subtle us of his at field to accelerate the knife towards the angel. He'd thank his trainer for that one later, after she grilled him about his day. Which as he walked the eva into place and locked it onto the lift, would be coming up fairly soon.
He however again failed to catch himself as he zoned out. Sitting through the mission debriefing and ignoring the report entirely on the angel's capabilities and what was needed to neutralize it. Nor did he care about the planned efforts to break down the angel to study all it's parts. Instead he only came back into focus after they were back home. He was already in the kitchen with Misato, cooking away as the skimpily dressed woman was all smiles. She really shouldn't be so defenseless around him, or at least, she could remember that he was in fact still a boy. Checking on the rice and deftly flipping the frying chicken, he was feeling like cutlets tonight.
"Oh Shinji you should have seen Ritsu's face!" What is it with blondes and big guns anyway? The entire city defenses couldn't stop an angel but for some reason she thinks one eva equipped with a single gun would work? Oh she would be hounding her friend for the rest of the week for this.
Shinji just smiled, "You shouldn't tease the doctor Misato-san." He was of the same mind however, the good doctor should have known better. The last angel survived a clean nuke to the face, how was a gun supposed to do anything?
Misato calmed down slightly however, "But, more than anything, you did good today. You stepped up and did your job better than any of us could have hoped." Kid had steel to him, she could admit that. She know some men twice he age that couldn't do what he did. "So thank you, for saving us today."
Shinji paused for just a moment, slightly overwhelmed at the woman's tone, before returning to their meal. He dished out her plate first, rice with breaded and pan friend chicken, then he smiled, "If doing this let's me save everyone, then this is what I'll do." He meant that as well, he would do this for as long a necessary.
So they partied, joking and laughing while Misato got steadily more and more drunk while Shinji fed Penpen and cleaned up after the woman. And once again as she stumbled off to bed, shirt half hanging off of her, the boy was cleaning before he collapsed on the couch. Staring up at the ceiling and wondering just what tomorrow would bring, he didn't even flinch as he heard the front door open and close. Nor did he both as light footsteps crept towards him. Looking down he spied Rei standing there, soft smile on her face. He nodded once from his place laid out on the couch and she collapsed on top of him, curling into his chest without a word.
"You're impatient."
"Misato is asleep and won't be up till at least 9 or 10 in the morning. I can stay and you know it." The most she had probably talked so far, Shinji did have to admit she was right, "Besides, you miss me as well."
Shinji nodded as he wrapped an arm around her and looked at the ceiling, time was becoming a meaningless thing, "Think we'll get it figured out this time?"
"Doubtful, we promised to have more fun this go."
Shinji sighed, "After the last loop that sounds nice." As Rei settled in and got comfortable on his chest, Shinji thought about the crux of their problem. The him of now wasn't the Shinji that showed up in Tokyo-3. It always started the same, until he synchronized with Eva unit 1, and the rampage connected with something deeper than anything any of them understood. Giving him memories from every time loop he had lived through up until that moment. From the first time they all died after being betrayed by Seele and his father, being turned into human soup. He had lived through so many loops now, but so far the only ones who remembered them were himself, Rei, and Asuka.
Right on cue his phone began to ring.
"Let the fire crotch stew for a minute." Some emotion finally, as was usual when she finally got to be closer to him.
Shaking his head he pulled his phone from the confines of his pocket and answered, "You have great timing."
"Of course I do, it's me." Asuka even sounded smug over the phone.
"Have you killed Kaji yet?" Rei was straight to what she considered important.
"No, I have something special planned for him this time." There was silence as Shinji wanted to see what gears were turning in her head, "Aren't you two getting a head start on things already? And without me? I'm hurt." It's was fake and even he could tell.
"I'm getting pregnant as we speak." Tone dead and bored, the girl knew how to push the other's buttons so well.
"You're the one half a planet away."
"Well if someone could figure out a reason for me to be transferred sooner that didn't end up with one of us dying off early, that'd be great." They tried it in the past, multiple times. It always ended up changing something important that led to one or all of them dying. They had also learned early that just because one of them died didn't mean the loop didn't continue. It did, just those left had to fight on their own. Those were always the worst.
Shinji got comfortable himself, "You know, I wouldn't mind a repeat of loop 88."
Over the phone Asuka scoffed, "Of course you wouldn't you pervert. You made a harem."
Shinji shrugged, "Loop 8?" He was referring to the time she had finally figured out how to get into Kaji's pants. And had been disappointed.
"That's not fair, if I knew then what I know now, I never would have done it."
Rei muttered out from a daze, "Excuses excuses."
Over the phone he heard the red head curse, "Loop 12 wondergirl." That loop had seen Rei free all of her sisters from terminal dogma. That ensuing rampage had been epic. Even if the aftermath had ended with Shinji as a sex slave for them all. If Seele hadn't nuked them, he probably would have died from a heart attack eventually.
Shinji however was starting to feel the strain of the day, "We can't make time go any faster for now, but we'll make sure to check in with you often okay? Also, Rei's finagled an apartment next to us, so that'll give us more room."
Asuka cheered, "Good, she better not have taken the master bed already."
Shinji refused to answer that one, he'd let Rei do it when she was awake, "She's asleep already."
"Lazy bones." Asuka was quiet for a moment as Shinji laid there relaxed. Eventually they all found that without the three nearby it was usually hard for them to sleep. Of course, because Asuka and Rei synchronized with their eva long before him, they had to put up with their memories the longest. Years of time apart for them, but only a few days for him. It wasn't fair he decided, so usually just put up with whatever the girls wanted for the first few months he came 'back' so to speak. "You asleep too?"
"No I'm here, just thinking." Shinji was starting to get tired. And would at least shuffle them both to his room.
"The last loop…" Ah, there was a subject Shinji didn't want to get into. For on the opposite end, they had years to get over any trauma from the previous loops. He however was still raw and fresh from it.
"Yeah?"
"It was the longest one. Do you…wanna repeat it? Try again?" He wanted to say yes almost instantly, see if they could correct their mistakes and etch out a little more time for themselves.
"It'd be nice. The three of us out there."
"We make a great team."
"Uh huh." Silence again, because Asuka sighed heavily, "I didn't know how far he was willing to go."
"It's not your fault Asuka, you know I don't blame you." Smirking however, he decided to change the subject, "However if you wanna meet me on the Over the Rainbow in that cute sundress again I wouldn't mind."
"Pervert."
"Just for you two."
"And Misato, Maya, Hikari, that huge titted upper classman from 3-A, the coffee shop girl, that one office room tech."
"Hey hey, wasn't that all from the loop you sold me out?"
"It was fun."
"You were making money off of me."
"Like I said, fun."
Shinji sighed, "I wouldn't have made it this far without you both."
"We wouldn't be here without you too, so just relax till I get there, have some fun, and then we can raise some hell again."
"Hah, yes ma'am." Exchanging goodbyes, Asuke hung up and Shinji was left alone with a snoring Rei and his thoughts. The plan this loop was to change as little as possible until Asuka arrived. This meant suffering through boring nonsense and encounters they could sleep through. But after Asuka got here they would brainstorm and figure something new out. Of course, he and Rei could have some fun with the fifth when it arrived, and sniping bastard.
Rei poked him in the side, "You are thinking loudly."
Shinji poked her back, earning a squeak, "I'd love to know how someone can think loudly."
"I don't know, but you do it." Voice quiet, the girl sat up in his lap, "Still, I'm glad you came back this loop. You could have sat this one out. I would not have judged."
Shaking his head, the boy raised a hand to her cheek, "I made a promise. I wouldn't leave you two alone, and I won't." Both sat there quietly for some time, before Rei shifted her hips, "Nope."
"But you love me."
"And Misato is in the next room. She's a deep sleeper, but not that deep."
Rei nodded before standing, "I at least demand cuddles and sleep."
"Hai hai, and then first thing in the morning we can go for a jog."
"I hate exercise."
"Not the fun kind."
"That's different."
Sighing and following the girl to his room, Shinji figured it was worth the risk tonight. Tomorrow he'd get her to promise to stay in her own apartment at least until Asuka made it here, or for the times Misato had to work overnight. They were risking enough as it was. Tomorrow he knew he would be dealing with the idiot duo apologizing and asking for forgiveness. Which would lead to a friendship with males his own age that he had needed once. Now though, with so many years lost to loops, he wasn't sure if he could relate anymore, but he'd keep trying. They all would. Tomorrow was a new day, after all.
-AN-
I normally don't like stories that abuse time loops or time travel to retcon a story. BUT, Eva has that built into it. And a lot of authors have made it work so well that I just had to try my hand at it. I think it can be fun, plus I like the idea of essentially ageless Shinji/Asuka/Rei being stuck as teenagers with all these old people mentalities ready to twist all the adults around them into mental pretzels. Tata for now my friends, let's meet again tomorrow.