Disclaimer: see part 1

 

Part 9

Duet

By Random1377

 

Rei sat quietly by Shinji’s bedside and stared at his impassive face.  –Why will you not awaken?- she thought sadly, -It has been two days now…-

 

Her right hand was clasped firmly around his, gently wrapping her slender fingers around his unresponsive ones.  In her free hand she clutched a small box.  ‘It was in his hand when they found him…’ Misato had said as she handed it to Rei. ‘He… he must have been looking at it when he…’ she had broken off, unable to finish.

 

She looked at the box once more, wondering what it contained.  She was sure that he intended it for her (reasonably sure, anyway), but she dared not open it without him offering it to her.  She felt that would be… improper.

 

The doctors had told her that she should talk to him because, even though it may not seem like it, he could hear her.  She spoke softly to him, “Shinji… I don’t know if you can hear me or not, but I am supposed to talk to you. I do not know what to talk to you about, so I will tell you of our homework assignment for…”

 

She trailed off, realizing how impersonal she sounded.  –This is the one I love…- she thought with some reproach, -I should speak of something personal…-

 

She began again, “Shinji… please return to me…” she waited, though why she did she was uncertain, as she knew he would not reply. “I… you make me happy, Shinji…” she whispered, “something I thought I could never be… and I am grateful to have you in my life.”

 

She stared down at his hand, “I know that you would like to… do more than kiss, Shinji… and when you wake, perhaps we will.” She looked back to his face, “But be gentle with me… I… it scares me when you hold me tight… I am afraid that… that you may hurt me.”

 

She stopped, looking at him carefully, -Is that what I fear?- she thought.  What exactly she had been afraid of, she had not thought about up until then.  She had only known that she WAS scared when he kissed her that way.

 

She rested her head on his stomach, feeling each softly drawn in breath, “Perhaps I am most scared that you will not stop if I ask you to… I know that you are gentle, Shinji… but I have seen rage in you also.” She kissed his hand, “I do not want to feel your rage, only your love, so please… please be gentle with me… and come back to me. I… miss you…”

 

She drifted off to sleep, and dreamed of Shinji holding her tight… and of being unafraid.

 

When she woke, she found herself lying in the bed next to Shinji’s.  Asuka was sitting where she had been… and holding his hand.  “Pilot Souryu?” Rei whispered tiredly. Asuka gave a surprised yelp and pulled her hand away quickly.

 

Her shock was quickly masked with indifference, “Oh, you’re awake… well, I hope you had a nice nap, Misato had to pick you up off the floor, you know.”

 

Rei blinked, -Was I so tired I did not wake when I fell to the floor??-  she didn’t doubt the redhead, but she was still stunned that it was true… of course, she had only slept two hours in the last two days, so it was inevitable that her body would eventually shut down.

 

Rei climbed off the bed and rubbed her eyes.  –I wonder how long I slept?- looking around she thought that it could not have been TOO long, because it was still light out… though the light was fading.  She guessed that it must be evening, -Perhaps it was longer than I thought…-

 

“Rei…” Asuka surprised her by using her first name, “what’s in the box?” she tilted her head to the nightstand, where the box in question was currently sitting.

 

“I… do not know.” She admitted, “I do not wish to open it until he presents it too me…” she looked at the floor, “I am not even be certain that it is for me…”

 

Asuka laughed.  Rei’s head came up fast, noting with some alarm the barest hint of madness in the girls voice… or perhaps she had imagined it? “Oh… it’s for you alright…” she winked, “you’re his geliebten.” She looked at the box, again serious, “Do you think he was going to ask you to marry him?” the word ‘marry’ trembled a bit as it came from her mouth.

 

Rei’s eyes widened, “I… do not believe so…” –Would he? We are so young…- she found that she was terribly off balance.  “We… I do not think that he would propose marriage to me…”

 

Asuka smiled, “Oh, I think he would… maybe not yet, but he’s the marrying kind…” she looked at him, the smile disappearing.  She reached out and traced the curve of the boy’s jaw with a fingertip, “Oh yes… he’s the kind to stay with one person forever…”  She shook herself and drew her hand away as if his skin had burned her, throwing Rei an uncertain look… as if she was somehow causing her unease.

 

Rei met her eyes, “Is there something wrong, Pilot Souryu?” –Yes, there is… isn’t there?- she thought, sure that something was VERY wrong with the Second Child… but uncertain of what it might be, or how (or even IF) she should help.

 

“Nothing at all,” Asuka smiled suddenly, “I have to get to school now, bye-bye.” She stood abruptly and left the room without another word.

 

“School?” Rei echoed, looking at the fading daylight, “But it is evening…”

 

**

 

The remainder of the evening passed quickly, but since Rei had slept so long in the day (ten hours, she found upon checking the time) she was unable to sleep.  So she sat by Shinji’s bedside and thought about what she would say to him when he woke up.

 

She was mentally composing her fifty-sixth greeting when a soft beep emanated from one of the systems at Shinji’s bedside and his eyes fluttered open, instantly banishing all of her carefully prepared words.  He tried to speak, but the tube down his throat made it impossible.

 

“Shh…” she whispered, her eyes brimming with tears, “it’s ok…” she knew that his awakening would bring the nurses and doctors in short order, but she wanted to be the first person he saw.  “Shinji… do you know where you are?”

 

His eyes cast around the room, and he nodded slowly.  She smiled at him, “Do you… know who I am?” she held her breath, hoping against hope. He stared at her in silence, then smiled around the tube and nodded again, turning his hand over to take hers and giving a feeble squeeze.

 

Her breath came out in a shuddery rush, “Oh I am so glad…” she leaned down and kissed the corner of his mouth, hearing the door open behind her, “I will stay with you,” she whispered as the doctors came into the room, “until you get better, I will stay at your side…” he smiled again and gave her hand another squeeze.

 

Then Rei was gently moved to the side by an orderly as the doctors began to examine Shinji for any lingering traces of damage to his mind.  After removing the tube (which made Shinji gag and choke) they asked him a series of questions, testing his long and short-term memory.  What is your birthday? June six, two thousand and one.  Who is your commanding officer? Misato Katsuragi.  What was your first cello teacher’s name? Ilperazzo, he was Italian… we didn’t get along.

 

More questions followed, and then they examined his body, making sure everything was in order. After two hours of mental and physical examination, the doctors were satisfied.  They left with a final admonition to Rei, “He needs rest… so don’t do anything to increase his blood pressure, ok?”

 

The head doctor winked as he left, -Why does everyone assume that we are intimate?- Rei thought to herself, frowning.  She turned to find Shinji staring at her intently.  He motioned for her to come to him, which she did willingly, sighing as his arms came around her waist.

 

“Hi,” he whispered, his voice hoarse from disuse and the tube that had helped him breathe.

 

“Hi…” she echoed, holding him gently as she sat on his bed, her head resting on his shoulder.

 

He ran his hands idly through her hair for a moment, then put a finger under her chin and raised her face.  He kissed her… and all of Rei’s fears resurfaced.  She was glad to have him back, but the way he kissed her sent unpleasant chills down her spine.  Though the doctor had told her to let him rest, she had to talk to him… she had to know what he was thinking when he kissed her that way.

 

“Shinji?” she said as she pulled away, “I… need to ask you something…”

 

“What is it?” he rasped, touching her cheek gently.

 

“You would never… hurt me, would you?” she blushed as she spoke, “When you kiss me, you… hold me so tight… I get scared.” She looked at him pleadingly, “You would not… force me to do anything… would you?”

 

Shinji looked at her in shock, not even knowing how to address her. –She’s… she’s scared I might rape her!- his mind could hardly get around the idea.  He thought of how he held her as they kissed… how he held her tight because he was afraid she might suddenly leave… how he kissed her so desperately because, deep down, he was afraid each kiss might be their last.

 

His voice became even rougher sounding as he fought back tears, “Rei… I would never, EVER force you to something you didn’t want to… I…” he broke off and pulled her tightly against him, “I love you…” he whispered against her ear, “no… I would never hurt you…” 

 

She sighed deeply in relief, wondering how she could have thought him capable of doing anything to harm her. “Shinji?” she whispered as he held her, “There is… something else…”

 

“What is it?” he asked, tensing as he held her.

 

She leaned back and pressed her lips to his, calming his fears.  She rested her forehead against his, “I would like… for you to touch me…” she whispered, “I would like you to touch me as a man touches a woman.”

 

He swallowed.  Wanting to make sure he understood EXACTLY what she was saying, he said, “Are you asking me to… make love to you, Rei?”

 

She closed her eyes, her breath tight in her chest, -Even just hearing the words pleases me…- she thought, -maybe…-  “No,” she said quietly, shaking off the thought, “not yet…” she opened her eyes and smiled, kissing him again, “I just want to have you touch me… here…” she put her hand on her chest.

 

His eyes increased in size as the doctor’s order about his blood pressure went straight out the window. “Are… are you sure?” he said, unable to move his gaze from her hand… and what lay beneath.

 

She nodded, “I want to feel…” she stopped and looked into his eyes, gently taking his hand and moving it to where hers had been, “I want to feel.” She said simply.

 

Shinji forgot to breath as he touched her through her ever-present school shirt.  He looked at her, afraid to move. “R-Rei… you don’t… have to do this just because I’m in here…”

 

She looked surprised, “I… am not.” The thought of allowing him to touch her out of pity seemed a foreign concept to her, “I am doing it because I want to progress our relationship, and this is ‘the second base’… is that not correct?”

 

Shinji’s jaw fell open, “Rei, who have you been talking too?”

 

“Asuka…” she replied innocently, “why?”

 

“What else did she tell you, Rei?”  Shinji frowned, afraid of the response.

 

“Well, she told me all of the bases… and she told me about ‘going down’,” she frowned slightly, “though it does not sound pleasant to me, I would be willing to try if-“

 

“Rei,” he cut her off, smiling slightly, “forget what Asuka told you, ok?”

 

“But-“ she was confused.  The redhead had seemed so sure of just how everything should go… had even offered Rei a timetable on one of her ‘friendly’ days (Rei had politely declined).

 

Shinji shook his head, then winced, remembering that he was hurt.  “You don’t need a map or a plan for a relationship… you just need to let it happen.” He leaned forward, “Like this…” he gently kissed her, then kissed her chin… then moved down to her neck, and kissed down the side to where her shoulder and neck met.

 

“Oh!” she said quietly, putting her hands on his shoulders, “I… see.”

 

Shinji removed his hand, and instead wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down on top of him, kissing her slowly.  As they kissed, neither one of them was aware of the redheaded girl watching from the doorway… or of the lost, hungry look in her crystalline blue eyes as she quietly slid the door closed.

 

Continued…

 

Author’s notes: Yes, yes… I know… I can’t stretch sadness for more than a chapter or two.  Fine, so I go for the happy ending whenever I can… call it a character flaw (feel better now, Kimberly? ;) ) What’s in the box?  And WHAT is going on in Asuka’s mind? Next chapter… next chapter… :)