Disclaimer: see part 1.
Part 7
Internation
Asuka sat in a square of
yellow tape, cordoned off from the rest of the world. Her arms were wrapped around her knees
as she watched Unit 02 being returned to its cage.
“Asuka! I’m… I’m glad you’re
ok…” Shinji called for the parameter of the tape.
She
looked over her shoulder, considering him, then smiled… a wan smile, but a smile
nonetheless, “I’m ok because of you, Shinji…” she
whispered.
Shinji swallowed, taken in
by her beauty. ((Is… is this right?)) he thought to himself. She stood and
walked over to him, stopping as she reached the tape.
She
abruptly reached up and pulled him into a hug, “If you hadn’t spoken to me and
told me those… those wonderful words… I would be dead now,
Shinji.”
He
blushed deeply, “I… I meant what I said, Asuka…” though his voice hesitated as
he spoke.
Asuka smiled over his
shoulder, and sighed, “I know you did, Shinji…I know you did.” She drew back and
kissed him… on the cheek, “But I don’t think you meant them the way you want me
to think you did…”
He
met her eyes, surprised, “What… what do you mean?”
She
patted his cheek, “You are such an idiot,” she said, a smile stealing across her
face, “I’m not stupid… I know that you love Wondergirl…”
Shinji’s eyes widened,
“What…?”
Asuka looked surprised for a
minute, and then threw her head back and laughed, “Oh… oh that’s too funny…” she
backed a step away from him, holding her sides as she doubled
over.
“What is SO FUNNY?!” Shinji
was starting to get annoyed (though inside he was thrilled to see her
happy).
She
wiped a tear from her eye, “Oh… oh and you don’t… you don’t even
KNOW!!!”
“KNOW WHAT!?” he screamed in
frustration.
Once she had calmed
sufficiently, she stepped forward and hugged him again, amused at how he held
himself tense, “You love Rei, you moron… why are you trying to deny it? I’ve
seen the way you look at her, and the way she looks at you. Man, if there were ever two people that
were in deeper than you guys, I’ve never seen it!”
He
stared straight ahead in shock, his mind whipping through recent events, ((Is
it… is it possible?))
Asuka held him tighter,
“Shinji… I love you too, and I’m glad that you are in my life – as a friend.”
She pulled back and smiled at him, “Now go find Wondergirl before it’s too late,
ok?” her smile fell away, “I’m sure she heard what you
said.”
He
paled and turned to leave, “Thank you, Asuka…” he said as he ran
off.
She
smiled sadly, ((Maybe this can make up for how I treated him…)) she wrapped her
arms around herself, “Wondergirl… you BETTER appreciate what I gave up for you…”
she whispered. She watched Shinji disappear in the distance, still smiling that
small, sad smile…
**
Shinji searched everywhere
he thought he might find Rei. He
went to NERV HQ… to the EVA cages… to Misato’s apartment… and finally (after
slapping himself in the head for not looking there first) he went to her
apartment.
As he approached the door, he heard the sound of Namida floating from the apartment, the lilting tones flowing smoothly. For once, the construction had ceased (or at the very least had quieted enough to allow him to hear), and he stood outside of her door, listening with a soft smile as the cello brought forth the sad notes of the song.
When the sound trailed off,
he knocked gently on the door. He
had considered just walking in, but this was no longer possible as Rei had
finally installed a lock on the door, ((Thank goodness…)) he thought idly as he
waited, ((there’s too much that I value behind this
door…))
“Ikari…” Rei said coolly as
she opened the door, “why are you here?” he noticed that the bow was clutched
tightly to her chest, like a talisman to ward off evil.
Shinji flinched at her cold
tone, “Umm… I…” he looked at his watch, ((Thank God for coincidence!!)) he
thought, “It’s… it’s time for our lesson…” he said awkwardly, “sorry I’m
late…”
She
began to close the door, “I no longer require lessons… I… I know all that I
need…” her voice was low, the pain in her heart evident.
He
put his hand desperately on the door, stopping its progress, “Rei, Wait! There…
there’s one more lesson I forgot to teach you…”
She
regarded him uncertainly, then opened the door, her curiosity piqued, “What is
it?”
He
stepped into the apartment and gestured to the seat, “Sit down and I’ll show
you.” She sat down carefully,
taking the cello. “Ok, now you just concentrate on the
bow…”
“What about the…” she began,
“strings…” she finished quietly as he stood behind her and gently reached over
her shoulder and put his hand around the instrument’s
neck.
“Just… just work the bow…”
he said softly, “we’ll play Bach’s Cello Suite number one,
ok?”
“That is a complex piece,
Ikari…” she said quietly.
“I
think we can play it… together… I believe in you, Rei… do you…” he swallowed,
“do you believe in me?”
After a moment she nodded,
and began to draw the bow.
Quietly the strains of music
filled the room. As the music
flowed, Rei’s mind was in turmoil, ((Why is he doing this? He has made his feelings for her clear…
is he… teasing me?)) the thought made her frown and nearly play the wrong
note.
After a few moments Shinji
leaned closer, “Rei?” he said quietly.
She
shivered slightly as his breath blew across her neck, “What is it,
Ikari?”
He
hesitated, “It’s… it’s about Asuka… I-“
Rei
realized that she could not take any more, “I… I do not want to know, Ikari… it…
it is between you and her… now…” still she drew the bow, focussing her
concentration on that, ((Please… please do not torment me any more with what I
cannot have…)) her mind entreated.
He
drew a deep breath, pressing the strings with great care, “Rei… you don’t
understand, I-“
Abruptly, she stopped
playing, “I… I do not want to play any more… please… please
leave…”
Shinji’s heart skipped a
beat, “Rei… please listen to me!”
She
shook her head, “No… I do not wish to hear of your love for her… I… I will
leave…”
She
stood up quickly, forgetting that his arm was still around her shoulder. Losing his balance, Shinji tumbled to
the side, bringing Rei and the cello down with him. They landed with a crash, Rei first,
Shinji next, the cello last.
Shinji opened his eyes
(which he had closed by reflex), to find himself inches from Rei’s face… her red
eyes staring back at him with, ((What… what do I see in her eyes?)) he asked
himself, ((Is it… is it love?))
“Ikari?” Rei said quietly,
“Why… why do you always end up lying on top of me?”
Shinji said nothing, he just
continued staring into her soulful eyes as if he were
mesmerized.
Rei
decided that she might never be this close to him again. She reached up and pulled his mouth down
to hers, surprising him with her strength and need, ((I need to feel this…)) she
said to herself, ((just once… just one time before he is hers forever…)) They
kissed softly for several minutes, Rei holding Shinji firmly in place as she
explored his lips with hers.
At
that precise moment, Shinji could not have told you what day it was… and he may
have even been hard-pressed to tell you his own name. He let her kiss him – welcomed it with
open arms. Realizing that he should do something, he released the cello and
brought his hand up to her arm, gently stroking the skin just below her elbow…
and kissing her back for all he was worth.
After a moment, Rei stuck
her leg out to the side, and using it as leverage she flipped him over, landing
on top of him. Amazingly, they were
still kissing. She grasped his
hands with hers and held them at the wrists, ((I… will not let you go now…)) she
thought. She needn’t have worried;
Shinji was not inclined to go anywhere.
After some time, Rei broke
the kiss… but she did not release his arms. She stared into his eyes, searching for
something, ((I… I must tell him… and I must know how he feels as
well…))
“Rei-“ Shinji began, but she
cut him off.
“Shinji…” she began, her
voice cracking, “Shinji… love me instead… I… I love you, and I want so much to
be with you… please… please love me the way you love her…” Shinji’s mouth
dropped open, ((Why… why did I say that?)) she thought frantically. She climbed off of him and ran toward
the door, tears nearly blinding her.
She
stopped as she reached the door, his quiet words cutting the air like a knife,
“I… I do Rei… I do love you…”
She
didn’t turn around, “What… what did you say?”
She
heard him rise to his feet, but still she dared not look. She heard his
footsteps approach, and felt his arms wrap around her waist from behind. She shivered as his warm breath blew
against her ear, his voice whispering, “I do love you,
Rei…”
“What… what about Pilot
Souryu?” she asked, barely breathing.
He
kissed the side of her neck, making her knees go weak, “I love her too… but not
the same way I love you… she’s… she’s a very good friend…”
She
still did not face him, “and… and what am I… Shinji?”
“Something more… I hope…”
his voice trembled as he spoke, “much, much more…”
Slowly, Rei reached back and
ran her fingers through his hair. ((Much more…)) she thought, her heart soaring.
Tilting her head to the side, she pulled his lips against hers again. They stood
kissing like that for some minutes, Rei with her back against him and her head
to the side… Shinji with his hands around her waist, leaning forward to meet
her.
After a moment she pulled
away, sighing deeply, “This will not work…” she said quietly, stepping
away.
Shinji looked at the floor,
“B-but… I… I understa-“
She
continued, smiling gently, “It is too uncomfortable,” she turned to face him
fully, and slid her arms around him, “this is much better…” she whispered,
kissing him with abandon.
They spent the rest of the
afternoon and evening exchanging soft kisses and tender words, each comfortable
in the knowledge that the other was more than a friend… much
more…
Continued…
She
stood up quickly, forgetting that his arm was still around her shoulder. Losing his balance, Shinji tumbled to
the side, bringing Rei and the cello down with him. They landed with a crash.
Author’s notes: What? Why
are you all looking at me that way??
Didn’t I say in part one that this was a Shinji/Rei fic??? As Kimberly might say, “I’m such a
tricker…” ;) Also, thanks again to D.L. for coming
through on the Cello information. I owe you one! (hope you approve of the ones I
chose). Oh, and blame my friend JobFaust for that last part… that sicko MADE me
write it!! :)
