<*** Ninja Crowbotics Presents ***>


"SHINJI!  WATCH OUT BEHIND YOU!" Misato screamed into the monitor.  In vain, 
actually.  The com links had already been severed.  


<*** A Jolt Induced 4AM Production ***>


A bright snap of electricity arched off EVA-01's back as the umbilical 
cord was ripped free.  An ungodly roar was emitted from the purple 
Evangelion's jaws.  

"We've lost all pilot contacts!" Ritsuko gasped.  "I think he's 
unconscious!!!"

"Cut the sixth fuse!!  Eject the plug!!"

"EVA-01 isn't responding!" Ritsuko replied.  "But the sync ratio is 
rising!  I don't understand what's going on?!?"

"Shinji!  Five minutes of power remaining!" Misato yelled into the mic 
in vain, hoping that her voice somehow got through.  She turned to the 
command room.  "Get EVA-00 out there!  NOW!"

EVA-01's attacker was on the screen now.  A small, red object in the 
shape of some kind of rabid animal.  It lashed out with a whip like 
tail, connecting with the EVA's head and ripping through it's armor.

It let out another roar as a gush of blood sprayed out over the 
armament buildings and ground around the two behemoths.  

Then...

Two lightning fast hands came up and grabbed the Angel's tail, 
surprising it.  It hissed in anger, but it couldn't pull away.  

Ritsuko's eyes were wide.  "Oh no..." she whispered.  "EVA-01's going 
into..."

"Berserker Mode!"


***********************************************************************
                       NEON GENESIS EVANGELION!  
         SHINJI THE CASANOVA?  A FRIGHTENING PERDICAMENT!!!

                         By Strike Fiss, 1999
***********************************************************************

Disclaimer:  If I had owned this, you'd all be paying to read this! Since you 
don't have to pay a dime...do the math. You know it's not mine.  Isn't this much 
nicer?  I thought so.  Don't complain.  

Notes:  Okay, uh, MOSTLY Lime-Romance/WAFF, with just a wee bit of everything 
else.  Yee gods, OOC.  No, wait, OOC is too light of a term.  At the same time, 
though, it's close enough.  I've seen a lot worse character representation, and 
this is not too bad for the time period (sometime after the Kiss, and just 
before Shinji's syncs surpass Asuka's) ALSO, the slightly different character 
representation is PART OF THE STORY, so bite me.  Snoogins. 

C&C:  strikef@bigfoot.com  
 
***********************************************************************


The new Angel had shown up only a few hours earlier.  It looked almost 
like a walking bat with four legs and a long tail with a massive, 
scorpion barb on the end.  The color of blood as well.  It's Core was 
on it's belly, but it always walked too close to the ground for Shinji 
to crush.  Though it was only a tenth of the size of EVA-01, it was 
tearing the giant weapon apart, one slash at a time.  They hadn't even 
thought Shinji would need backup...not until the cord was cut.  

"EEEAAARRGH!!!!!"  the giant Evangelion kicked the Angel off of it's 
body.  

Before the tiny angel could land and smash into the ground, EVA-01 was 
already charging after it's opponent.  CHOM CHOM CHOM CHOM!  Each 
footstep launched itself forward entire city blocks at a time.  

"EEEEEEEE!" the Angel finally smashed into the center of a mountain and 
stopped flying.  Unfortunately for the tiny red attacker, that was the 
exact moment where EVA-01 jumped forward and flew into the same spot in 
the mountain, using the Angel to absorb the shock.  

"Two minutes left!" Misato yelled into the intercom.  "WHERE'S REI!?!"

"She's in the elevator!  Thirty seconds!" Maya said, furiously 
working the controls to get Shinji his backup.  

EVA-01 raised itself out of the crater it caused, then, without even 
pausing, began to pound it's massive fists into the Angel.  It never 
had a chance against the man-made-monster as it howled in anger...blood 
still gushing from it's head.  

Battered and cracked, the Angel fought on, however...struggling to 
twist itself free from the Evangelion's concrete grip.  Furious by the 
fact that the Angel was still moving, the raving EVA lifted the monster 
into the air...

And began to EAT it.

The control team watched, completely stunned, as EVA-01 took massive 
bites out of the Angel, ripping it into shreds and devouring most of 
it's red flesh.  A horrible, growling crunch echoed out across the city 
as it finally bit into the Angel's Core and swallowed. 

Turning to the center of Tokyo 3, it was almost as if EVA-01 was 
grinning at the camera as the red dripped from it's jaws.  One final, 
triumphant roar, and it's power cells were depleted.  It crouched down 
on the ground and powered down.  A moment later, Shinji's plug ejected 
from the back of his EVA's neck and parachuted to safety.

Everyone in the control room back at NERV stood silent for a moment, 
shocked.  

"Tell Rei to find the plug...get him back right away." Ritsuko said 
quietly.

"Well..." Misato smiled as she fingered her necklace absentmindedly.  
"At least he won."


 "EEeAARGH!"

Shinji woke with a start.  His eyes were immediately flooded with the calm, blue 
white light of the infirmary.  Somehow, even so deep in the hospital, he could 
hear the sounds of nature outside.  Calming crickets and birds that made an 
eerie, yet relaxing background hum.  

The effect was indeed calming, and the young man sighed and let himself hit the 
pillow with his head once more.  The bed was colder than usual.  His back wasn't 
raw.  He must have only been out for a few hours or a day.  

A tiny smile crept up on his face as he realized this was pretty much how he 
started EVA piloting.  Still, losing consciousness and going berserk had the 
advantage that you didn't remember much of the pain until later.  What he did 
find disturbing was the taste of LCL in his mouth.  A coppery, blood-like taste 
that he always hated...but had gotten used to sometime after the Fifth Angel or 
so.  

But the taste was bugging him.  It was obvious he was washed up.  He didn't 
usually wake up with it in his stomach.  

A nurse walking by his room made the observation he was alive and well, and 
flashed him a warm smile before walking off to alert NERV.  Shinji seemed to 
have a fan club at the hospital.  He blushed when he realized his clothes were 
changed.  The nurses probably chuckled each time they saw him naked.  He hated 
that thought.  Maybe, he promised himself, in a few years, he'd start working 
out and not be so skinny, but for now, that fact reminded him every day why the 
ladies of Tokyo 3 would hardly give him a second...

"Stop your complaining!"

Shinji gasped, sitting up and looking around for the voice that had said that.  
"W...who's there???!" he whispered.

No answer.

Shinji didn't see anyone, and the door hadn't been opened.  "Asuka?" he frowned.  
"Asuka...if this is a joke, I'm not in the mood."

"It's not a joke." Came the voice again.  "I'm here!"

Now Shinji was frightened.  "ARGH!  I'm hearing things!" he placed his hands on 
his ears.  "Great!  Just what I needed!!"

The voice sighed.  "No wonder you're so jumpy."

Shinji paused, frowning.  "What do you mean 'no wonder'???" he asked, not 
thinking it too strange to be talking to nothing.  

A laugh this time.  "If I tell you, you're going to be mad, and then you're 
going to just think you're even more crazy." It said calmly.  "Maybe I should 
let you have a good night's sleep before we continue this conversation."

Shinji blinked. "Wait!  No!  I'm sorry...I didn't mean to complain..."

No answer.

That was the moment Asuka and Misato came in the room.  Shinji was standing on 
his bed, looking at the pillow with an accusing stare.  "What did you MEAN!!?  I 
want to know!" he frowned.  "Don't go silent on me!  Come on!  I'm sorry!"  He 
didn't seem to notice his hospital gown let his bare ass stick out for all the 
world to see.

Both ladies blinked.  Misato sighed and turned to leave.  "I'll get the car."

Asuka stormed up to Shinji, who was still growling at the pillow.  "Baka Shinji!  
Get some clothes on, pervert!"

Shinji looked at his back and finally noticed his hospital gown.  He squeaked 
something unintelligible and dove under the covers.  "A...A...A...Asuka!"  he 
gasped.  "W...what are you doing here?!?"  his face was bright red.  

"Well, I'm not here to look at your naked scrawny ass!" she fumed, turning 
almost as red as he was.  She promptly tossed his clothes onto him.  "Are you 
coming??"

"Sorry..."

She muttered something in German and slammed her way out of the door.

There was a long, pregnant pause.  Finally, the voice came back.  "Well..." it 
said with an obvious grin on it's invisible face.  "This is going to be 
interesting."

"What do you mean!?" Shinji growled as he put on his clothes.  "You're just a 
figment of my imagination!"

"We'll talk later." The voice said, calmly.  It wasn't a bad voice.  A younger 
male.  Very calm and soothing.  Just like the birds and the crickets outside.  
It was almost...angelic.

Shinji felt a chill run through his spine.  


Asuka, of course, wasn't about to let the incident of Shinji yelling at his 
hospital bed go by quietly.  As they ate dinner with Misato that evening, she 
had a very scary smile on her face.  
	
Shinji hardly noticed.  He ate his ramen and drank his water with the same blank 
look he had on when he listened to his SDAT.  

"Shinji?"

He blinked, looking up to see Asuka's evil grin.  He frowned.

"Do you two want to be left alone?" the redhead continued.

He frowned twice as hard.  "What?"

"Well, it's obvious you and the noodles are discussing something very 
important." Asuka said with a remarkably straight face.  "Do you two want to be 
left al..."

Shinji got up and left.  Misato, who had been nicely buzzed from her after-
dinner-beer-beer, finally noticed Shinji's absence and blinked.  "What's wrong 
with Shinji?"
	
SLAM!!

Asuka, without pity, began to laugh her head off.

Misato, however, had a concerned look on her face.  Asuka noticed this.  
"What?!?"

"His Eva went berserk today." The older woman said quietly.  Images of the gore 
still ripped fresh in her mind.  "It wasn't pretty..."

Asuka gave her a look that told her she expected her guardian to start laughing 
any second now.  She never did, though.  "You're serious?  Baka Shinji?" she 
just grumbled and returned to her own ramen.  "Nobody makes this big of a deal 
when *I* rip apart an Angel.  Maybe I should change my name to Shinji the Second 
to get some attention around here..."
	
Misato stood, smacked her beer can unceremoniously on the table, and then walked 
off to her own room.  "You complain too much."

"Why do I even bother?" Asuka sighed.  Deep down, though, she wanted to smack 
herself.  If Shinji really had a bad day...  "Why do I bother...?"


For a chance of pace, Shinji put in a new tape in the side of his SDAT and 
pressed play.  This was his 'Sad Sad Shinji' tape.  Part Two.  The first tape 
had long since worn out.  He always listened to it when, for no reason, he felt 
lower than dirt.

That little tape had been getting a lot of mileage ever since Asuka moved in.  

And not for the reasons one might think.  

He lay on top of his covers, still dressed in his clothes as sad, soulful opera 
played in the background of his mind.

"My GOD man!"

Shinji almost screamed as he heard the voice again.  It was clear, even through 
the music.  "Wh...what are you!?!" he whispered, feeling his heart racing.

"We'll get to that in a second," replied the voice with a cough.  "But can you 
PLEASE change the music??  It's no WONDER everyone thinks you're a dork!  Come 
on!  'Sad Sad Shinji' tape number two?  You had to make a sequel?"

"I am not a dork!" Shinji whispered back, hoping his discussion wouldn't be 
heard from the hall.  "Who are you?!?"

"I'm not saying anything until you put on something better." Said the voice, now 
more stern.  "I love opera as much as the next guy, but you listen to it WAY too 
much."

Shinji felt very offended.  "Fine!"  he popped the tape out of his SDAT and 
reached over to the night-stand for another.  "What would be okay by YOU then?"

"Well, some Barry White or perhaps Fiona Apple would be lovely." It replied 
cheerfully.  

"I got some jazz.  That okay by you?" Shinji replied with sarcasm dripping from 
his voice.  He popped it in and pressed 'play'.

"Ooh, that's nice.  A lot better." Beamed the voice inside his head.  "Is that 
Ray Charles?  You kids today never listen to the oldies anymore.  I'm 
impressed."

"Thanks." Shinji grumbled.  "You can stay for the song, but after that, get out 
of my head."

There was a short pause.  "It's not that easy." The voice said quietly.  "You 
see, I'm kind of stuck here."

Shinji's eyes went wide.  "What?" he took a deep breath, trying to remain calm.  
"Who are you?  WHAT are you!?!"

"Oh come on...I know you're smarter than that, Shinji." The voice sighed.  "Do 
you remember your fight with the Angel this morning?"
	
"No." Shinji replied quickly.  "Not much.  It came out of nowhere and started 
to..." he paused.  "You...re..."

"I'm that Angel." Replied the voice.

"Oh god oh god oh god...!"

"RELAX SHINJI!" the Angel yelled.  Shinji stopped.  "That's better." It sighed.  
"Yes, I am that Angel that you fought today.  Though I must say, I think I 
suffered a lot worse than you did."

"Wh...?"

"You ATE me, Shinji!" the Angel replied angerly.  "I mean...COME ON!  Who EATS 
their opponent?  I was just having some fun!  All my bigger brothers were 
bitching about your Evangelion getting in the way, and I decided to see what all 
the fuss was about.  I wasn't going to kill you!  I was just going to ruff you 
up a bit." It grumbled.  "But NO!  You just HAD to come off your rocker and EAT 
ME!?!?!"

Shinji was silent.  "I...I'm sorry!  I mean, we didn't know you were just 
playing around...and...well...I blacked out and my Eva went berserk."

"She's right, you know." The voice said, this time, much happier.  "You 
apologize way too much.  I suppose I shouldn't have punctured your skull.  That 
was bad form.  Probably got you all riled up."

"Uh, no problem..." Shinji said with a big sweat drop forming on his head.  
"So...I ate you?  Is that why you can't get out?"

"I think so." The Angel replied.  "Your Eva...nice name by the way...ate me, but 
because you were it's pilot, the part of me that still goes on has 
been...digested...by your mind."

Shinji nodded.  It sounded like something Ritsuko would be blabbering on about.  
"Okay..."

"So, hopefully, all we need to do is wait for me to pass out of your system, and 
I can go back to my brothers, and you can go back to being lonely." The Angel 
said.  "In the meantime, though, your brain is actually quite comfortable."

"So you're not trying to take over my mind, and you're not trying to destroy the 
human race?" Shinji relaxed noticeably.  "So...um...what do I call you?  Mr. 
Angel?"

"Actually, I'm not really a full Angel, you see." Replied the voice.  "It's only 
my Brothers who you call Angels.  I'm Cherubim." It said proudly.  "And my name 
is Cupid."

Shinji almost fell off of his bed.  "C...C...CUPID!!???"

"Oh?  You've heard of me?"  Cupid's calm, happy voice laughed.  "Yes, the one 
and only.  The Cherub of LUV!!" he stated proudly.  "And Shinji, my boy, you are 
in luck!"

His eyes widened.  "Wh...what do you mean?"

"I know we only have a few days together or so." Cupid said.  "And I cannot, in 
good conscious, leave without making this all up to you.  I feel bad for causing 
so much trouble."

"No...really...that's okay." Shinji whispered.  "You can just tell your Brothers 
to stop attacking, though."

"Can't do that, I'm afraid." Cupid sighed.  "If it was up to me, I'd let you all 
enjoy life and love.  But I'm just a Cherub.  We aren't usually in the loop.  
Maybe it's good that you humans are being attacked.  Maybe not.  I personally 
don't know, and can't stop the others."

"Oh." Shinji sighed.  "I suppose it was worth a try..."

"What I can do..." Cupid continued.  "...is give you something you've been 
lacking your entire life, Shinji.  Ever since your mom died.  Something that, 
even in situations that would make grown men weep with happiness, still manages 
to elude you."

Shinji's eyes widened.

"A chance for love." Cupid stated simply.  The voice was sincere and direct.

The young Ikari's mood threatened to slip deeper into despair.  "Even if you are 
Cupid, I doubt you could do that." He whispered quietly.

Cupid said nothing for a long time.  Together, they listened to Ray Charles sing 
in the background of the brain they were sharing.  "Shinji..." he said slowly.  
"I cannot create Love.  Only you and someone else can do that.  However, I CAN 
give you the chance to find it."

"Mmph." Shinji sighed.  "Maybe after the Tenth Impact, I'd have a chance at 
love."

"I can at least get you laid." 

Shinji almost coughed on his own blood as it threatened to spurt out of his 
nose.  "W...WHAT?"

Cupid was laughing.  "Sorry...sorry...I apologize.  I was just kidding." He 
paused.  "Though...if you really wanted to forgo all that Love stuff, I could 
probably rig something up for a more immediate fix."

"That's SICK!" Shinji replied, holding his nose.  "I don't want THAT!" he 
paused.  "Uh...well, at least not without the Love part first!"

"Don't worry, Ikari." Cupid said happily.  "I know you're not a pervert.  You're 
actually under-average for a boy your age.  I really can't figure out why Asuka 
keeps pestering you about that."

"Leave Asuka-chan out of this." Shinji frowned.  

Cupid seemed to nod.  "It's your call, boss."

"Besides." Shinji grumbled.  "I really don't see what you could do from inside 
my head."

"Oh ye of little faith." Cupid smiled.  

Shinji felt a warm tingle run through his body.  "What was that?"


Across the hall and a little to the left, Misato was trying to focus on a sync 
test report, but found it impossible to do without another swig of beer first.  
The moment she put down her beer, however, she felt a warm sensation pass over 
her body.  Her breath caught in her throat for a moment, and when it finally 
continued, she was blushing.  

She realized why she was blushing.  Her finger was absentmindedly caressing the 
paper, right where Ikari Shinji had been written down.  Her mind kept fluttering 
back to dinner, where she had seen his sad, thoughtful eyes; trying to recall 
the memories of the day's battle.  Misato kept wishing she could shield him from 
those memories.  

"Oh, Shinji..." she sighed.

Almost immediately, she slammed her mouth shut with her hands.  "What am I 
DOING?!!" she gasped under her breath.  Try as she might, however, she couldn't 
help but recall how tall he was getting as he stood...and how he stormed off to 
his room.  So gentle and reflective, even in the face of Asuka's constant 
bullying.  

"Well, he does have a nice butt..." she whispered to herself, no longer forcing 
her jaw shut.  It wasn't as if she hadn't thought about...this...before.  Their 
ages were a little extreme, but she had heard of worse.  And...he was 
sweet...and a hero...and...very kissable...

Mustering up all her resolve, and all her beer in one gulp, Misato headed for 
the door.  


Before Shinji could question what Cupid had been talking about, there was a soft 
knock on the door.

"Y...yes?" he answered, taking his headphones out of his ears.

"Shinji-kun?" came the soft voice of Misato.  Hallway light crept through the 
door as it cracked open slightly.  "Are you awake?"

Right away, Shinji felt something in the air.  Shinji-kun?  "Uh...?"

He never had the chance to say much else.  Misato stood, closing the door behind 
herself.  In the soft, midnight blue light, she walked over to the side of his 
bed and sat down next to him, nearly falling over.  "I...I'm sorry...I'm a 
little drunk." She said, obviously embarrassed.  

Shinji's eyes grew impossibly wider.  Misato apologizing for being drunk?  
"Th...that's okay, M...Misato-chan..." he replied nervously.  

She smiled.  It wasn't one of her flashy, dazzle-the-men smiles.  It was an 
honest, 100% proof Misato smile.  Shinji found it impossible to breathe.   She 
noticed his stare, and glanced away, blushing.  "I...I wanted to tell you 
something today."

He nodded weakly, but said nothing.

"It seems I...need to...every time I see you almost die out there." She said 
sadly.  "I want to tell you how proud I am of you.  How...I cherish knowing 
you...even as just a little boy." Her hand gently came to rest on his thigh.  

Shinji found breath in a gasp, but then it locked up again when he felt the 
warmth of her touch.  

Misato continued, however.  "I wanted to tell you that you are not a coward, and 
you are not a pervert." She said with a tear rolling down her face.  "Don't let 
Asuka tell you otherwise.  It's not true."

"Misato...?" he whispered.  This was a side of her he had never though existed.  
He didn't even know how to classify it.  It was sad...yet...so truthful and 
honest.

She turned to him with a tiny sniff.  "Shinji...I just want to tell you..."

Before he knew what had happened, she leaned towards him and let her lips touch 
his.  He was, out of lack of a better term, paralyzed.  He opened his mouth 
slightly to protest, but just found her doing the same.  She was very sweet.  
Yes.  Sweet.  Even with all that beer she had been drinking, she was sweet 
tasting.  Soft.  Moist.  It was like wrapping his mouth around the most inviting 
chocolate cake imaginable.  At the same time, he could almost taste something 
salty.  A tear.  This was not just a drunken loss of control...this had real 
emotion behind it. 

Her eyes opened to find his also open...though in surprise.  She slid away from 
him gently.  Both of them were at a loss for words.

"I just wanted to say thank you..." she whispered, then stood, shakily, and 
walked to the door.  

Misato had to fight the urge to stay, but knew it would be wrong.  Somehow, even 
with the alcohol and the feelings she knew already were there, it wasn't enough 
to excuse her staying longer.  "G...goodnight, Shinji-kun..." she whispered, 
then closed the door behind her. 


There was a long...LONG...pause.  Shinji just sat there, listening to Ray 
Charles fade, then come back in the form of another song.  He didn't dare to 
move.  Not for a long time.  His heart racing and his mind a blur.  

Cupid finally spoke when he guessed Shinji had enough time to process the 
information.  "I can help you, Shinji.  Do you believe me now?"

"M...Misato?" he said weakly.

"She really does love you, Shinji.  Not in a passion-drenched, soul-mate kind of 
way, but also a little more than just your guardian.  I just helped her see how 
much she wanted to kiss you." Cupid stated softly.  "That's what I do.  I show 
people what they normally try to ignore out of their quest to ignore love and 
friendship."

"You made her do that?" Shinji demanded.  "Did you?"

"No, Shinji." Cupid sighed.  "I don't force people to love.  I just show them 
the truth."

A thought hit Shinji.  "Really?  You can do that?"

Cupid laughed softly.  "I just did, didn't I?"

"Can...can you make me..." Shinji paused, looking for the right words.  "Can you 
teach me how??  How to make it so I can do this on my own?"

"Yes." Cupid said.  "I will teach you what you need to find love.  Real love, 
too.  Not just the stuff they feed people in bad romance novels.  Love that's 
destined and that's real.  Love that is felt on every level of physical and 
emotional.  I will teach you how to get past all the hate and the loneliness in 
your life."

"Why?" Shinji asked suddenly.  "Why are you helping me?"

A long, thoughtful pause.  

"Because.  If anyone needs it...it's you."

A large sweat drop appeared on Shinji Ikari's head. 

"Goodnight, Shinji." Cupid said, sounding distant.  "Sleep well, and keep that 
kiss close to your heart.  I know she means a lot to you too."

Finally, Shinji was left alone.  

His hand came up to his lips...and he could still feel the kiss.  For that 
night, the entire night, the nightmares could not touch him.  

 
Asuka woke up early for once.  Something she couldn't quite place had been 
eating away at her ability to sleep all night.  She ignored it, classifying it 
as bad ramen noodles from the night before.  

Her gloomy early-morning face greeted Misato as she came out of her room with 
her equally unpleasant hangover face.  "Morning." She coughed.

"Again?" Asuka sighed, as if she had to ask, throwing her a beer.

"Not now..." Misato sighed, popping the top and throwing back her head as the 
can reached her lips.  Asuka watched in amazement as Misato literally poured the 
beer down her throat.  She never even swallowed by the look of her neck not 
moving.  She just let it slide down to her stomach.  "Ohhhhhhhhhh that's 
better..." 

"Rough night?" Asuka blinked.  Even after her customary morning beer, Misato 
looked horrible.  Something gravely important was on her mind, or, more likely, 
a slight case of alcohol poisoning.  

"Mmm." Misato smiled suddenly.  "No...just..." her face drooped again.  
"Yeah...a little rough." She moved to the cupboard and got a bag of cheese-
flavored popcorn to snack on.  

Asuka didn't like this.  Misato was acting very strange.  "Uh, I'll go wake up 
Shinji to make us breakfast." She stood.

Shinji appeared around the corner, however, with a smile on his face and damp 
hair from the tub.  "Good morning!" he beamed.  

Misato almost coughed up her popcorn.  "Mmm, uh...good morning, Shinji.  Sleep 
well?"

Asuka's brow was crunched together.  Something was wrong.  Shinji was acting way 
too...too...happy?  And Misato?  She was nervous?  While Shinji moved into the 
kitchen to start making his and Asuka's lunches for school, she moved over to 
the older woman and leaned over.  "Can I ask you something about Shinji?"
	
"Uh..." Misato blushed suddenly.  "Okay??"

"Did you catch him beating off in the shower?!"

This time, Misato actually DID cough up her popcorn.  "W...WHAT?!?!!"

"I bet you did." Asuka grumbled.  "Eww!  I can't believe I live in the same CITY 
as that dirty little hentai!"

"No!" Misato said, finally wiping the crumbs off her shirt.  "I did NOTHING of 
the sort!  I...I just had a strange dream." She lied.  

Asuka blinked, then frowned.  Then, finally, she walked back over to the table 
and sat down.  "I bet he spanked the monkey, though.  Even if nobody caught him.  
He's too happy."

Misato decided to reverse the situation.  "Is that what you think?" she grinned 
to herself.

"Yes." Asuka nodded firmly.  "Baka Shinji..."

"I bet you liked thinking about that." Misato said, whispering into Asuka's ear 
over her shoulder.  "Mmm..." she cooed.  "Steamy, naked, hard Shinji Ikari..."

Asuka's eyes went wide as the mental image forced itself into her mind.  "WHAT!  
NO!  I DID NOT!"

Misato replied simply by smiling at Asuka with her best sultry smile.

A steamy, naked, wet Shinji waved back at Asuka mind's eye, blowing her a kiss 
before returning to the task at hand.  [bad pun]

"OH MY GOD!!!" Asuka screamed, running off to her room, not daring to look at 
Shinji's face as he brought out breakfast from the kitchen.  "YOU'RE ALL A BUNCH 
OF HENTAI!!"

Cupid snickered to himself.  "That was fun."

Shinji ignored the voice and sat down across from Misato.  "What was that all 
about?"

Alone with Shinji, Misato finally remembered why she had such a rough time going 
to sleep.  "Shinji..." she said quietly.  "...I'm sorry if I...did anything 
stupid last night."

Shinji shook his head quickly.  "Misato..."

She sighed and buried her head in her hands.  "I shouldn't have been that drunk 
when I came to see you.  I didn't want to make you uncomfortable...I just wanted 
to say thank you...and..."

"Shinji...now..." Cupid's voice directed quietly.  

While Shinji would have normally been blushing and afraid to move, the guidance 
of his new friend was enough to change that.  He got up, knelt down besides 
Misato, and brushed his hand through her hair.

Misato was silent.  She looked up from her hands to see Shinji smiling warmly at 
her.  "It's okay." He said.  With that, he leaned over and kissed her gently on 
the cheek.  "I wanted to say thank you too."

Her eyes threatened to give way into tears.  She just smiled and nodded, trying 
to refocus herself.  "Shinji...you may not think so, but you're turning into 
quite the sweetie." She said warmly.  "I'll have to watch myself around you 
now."

Shinji couldn't help but feel a whole lot better.  Cupid or not, this was nice.  
A lot nicer than normal.  He always wanted to say thank you to Misato, but they 
were always so different.  He could never connect with her enough to have a 
heartfelt moment with her.  Misato had always been a physical presence...Shinji 
always a mental one.  It took a little urging to get Shinji to see that.  
 
"You're welcome." Cupid said suddenly, reading Shinji's thanks.  

"Don't worry, Misato." He moved back to his own seat again.  "After all, I don't 
want to get Pen-Pen jealous."

Misato was about to say 'what the HELL?' but then she saw the look in his eyes 
and laughed.  Shinji joined her a second later.


Asuka, however, was fuming mad.  They were LAUGHING?  She could hear them 
outside.  "Grr...I bet they're laughing at me!" she pouted.  "Damn Shinji and 
his damp, hard...NO!" she gasped.  "NO!  Get out of my head!" she sighed, 
pounding the ball of her palm into her temple.  

She felt something warm pass through her body.  This was not Cupid's doing, 
though.  Asuka finally gave up trying to fight it and sighed, shaking her head.  
"Fine...one little fantasy before school..." she whispered to herself, laying 
down on her bed and closing her eyes.  

In her mind, a naked, grinning Shinji Ikari waved to her.  His sexual organs 
covered only by the tasteful, skillfully placed rainbow caused by the shower's 
mist.  

Suddenly, the rainbow disappeared.  THAT was Cupid's doing.  Asuka felt her face 
get redder.  "Oh my..."  She felt a lot more than her face get redder.  "Oh 
my..."


As Misato drove them to school, Asuka had a strange, dreamy look on her face as 
she stared out the window. 


At school, Shinji found himself bored as usual.  However, today was a lot more 
bearable.  He had Cupid to talk to.  Even though he couldn't talk out loud in 
class, he was learning to focus his thoughts so his cranium companion could 
understand them like words.  

"So," Shinji 'said.'  "What you're saying is that you're able to jump from mind 
to mind?"

"No.  Only take little peeks." Cupid replied.  "You see, I have to stay in one 
place.  Right now, because of your Eva's appetite..."

"Sorry."

"No worries, my friend!  With a good night's rest it has been all but 
forgotten!" Cupid replied cheerfully.  "I am still able to use some of my 
powers, though.  Even though I can't move around until your brain leaves a 
Number Two in the psychological toilet."

"So what powers don't you have right now?" Shinji found himself curious.  Even 
if this was a different class of Angel, any information might be nice to have 
for upcoming battles.

"Well, most Angels can light things on fire." Cupid said.  "Even I can.  Though 
some are more fancy than others.  I can cause people to spontaneously combust, 
while others can cause the sky to rain down burning sulfur." He said.  "It's 
personal preference, but I don't like the smell of sulfur, so I stick to 
combustion."

"Must be fun on camping trips!" Shinji chuckled.  A few people turned to him, 
wondering why he just chuckled out loud, but returned their eyes to the front of 
the board when the young Ikari shot them his Look Of Doom.  The fact he hardly 
ever used that look prompted a quick response. 

"Oh, time for business, my young human friend." Cupid said suddenly.  "Look to 
your right.  By the window."

Shinji, curious, turned slightly and found nothing out of the ordinary.

"Her."

"Rei?" Shinji blinked.  He blushed slightly.  "What about her?  You're not going 
to make her kiss me too, are you?"

Cupid gasped.  "What ever gave you THAT idea?" he laughed.  "No, not Rei, I'm 
afraid.  A kiss from her would take considerable manipulations, and would 
probably scare a lot of people."

"Okay, good." Shinji thought.  "But, then why did you call attention to her?"

"You'll see."  Cupid said cryptically, letting another tingling wave pass 
through Shinji's body.  


Rei's mind was usually not much different from her outer visage while she was at 
school.  Calm, quiet, enigmatic, and most of all, focused on anything she damn 
well wanted to be focused on.  Everything she would ever need to know for the 
rest of her entire existence had already been introduced into her mind during 
her initial years at NERV.  Quite literally, she could skip every lesson, and 
still know more about the Second Impact and humanity's states of wellbeing than 
the sensei did.  

So, that is exactly what she did.  Her thoughts were focused usually on the 
picturesque school grounds outside.  These thoughts focused on:  "Mmm, nice 
tree.  Beautiful sky today.  Woodpecker.  A small dog.  Slight breeze."

Of course, when she felt her body get warmer for a moment, she didn't notice 
much.  Probably just the school's heating system malfunctioning.  It was common 
due to all the Angel attacks recently.  However, nothing could quite explain it 
when she suddenly, inexplicably, had the next thought in her mind:

"Talk to Shinji."

Talk to Shinji?  Why did that thought come into her head?  She turned from the 
window and looked over to Shinji, who was trying not to look like he was looking 
at her.  

"Talk to Shinji."  The thought repeated.  

Rei panicked.  "What do I talk to him about?!?" she asked her brain.  She began 
to sweat.

Her brain gasped, then struggled to find a subject matter.  "Uh...talk to Shinji 
about...Paper Airplanes!"


"Shinji!  Hurry!" Cupid gasped.  "Start making a paper airplane!"

Shinji nearly jumped out of his seat, but managed to stay calm and take out a 
piece of paper.  "I don't know how!" he gasped, not sure where to fold.

Cupid muttered something under his breath.  "Shinji!  At least PRETEND to!  Fold 
down the middle first!  Then on the top corners!"


Rei relaxed noticeably when she saw the young Ikari take out a piece of paper 
and begin to fold.  She sat only a desk away from him, and could probably talk 
to him without the sensei even hearing them.   

"Ikari." She said softly.

He turned, finally noticing Rei was looking directly at him.  Her eyes 
were...glistening????  For a moment, he remembered just how beautiful the First 
Child really was.  "Uh...uh...Rei?" he whispered back.

A few students around them noticed that Rei was actually talking, and promptly 
passed out from mental shock.

"Are you making a paper airplane?" she asked quietly.  Her eyes darted down to 
the paper at his fingertips, and he could have sworn her lips almost turned up 
into a smile.

"Y...yes." Shinji nodded.  "But...I'm not very good." He admitted.  The last 
time he had finished making a paper airplane, it had flown for three seconds, 
then dive-bombed into his father's oatmeal.  It had been a long time ago. 

Rei, compared to what she was normally like, was almost giddy.  "May I?" she 
motioned to the paper.

Shinji had no idea that Rei was so interested in paper airplanes.  Maybe she 
normally wasn't, but it was Cupid's urging that let her enjoy her fascination 
with them.  He smiled warmly and nodded.  "Of course, Rei-chan!"

Even more students began to pass out as they saw Rei continue to do something 
other than stare out the window.  "ARGH!  IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!" someone 
yelled, but was ignored. 

Asuka was not lost on this sudden activity by Ayanami and was mortified to see 
her talking with Shinji.  "She's talking?!  Wonder Girl is TALKING?"

Her eyes widened almost as much as Shinji's as Rei reached over to his desk to 
the paper...but instead of taking it to her own desk, began to guide his hands 
with her own.  Another touch, added by Cupid.  "Like this..." she said, guiding 
his fingers where to go.  

Despite being close enough to smell Rei's shampoo, Shinji forced himself to be 
calm and to concentrate on the situation at hand.  Cupid seemed to have a 
calming, steadying effect on Shinji.  Anyone who hadn't already passed out due 
to Rei's activity was staring endlessly at how Shinji was simply sitting there 
and discussing the merits of each fold with her, almost as if her hands weren't 
even touching his.  

Rei was enjoying the experience quite thoroughly as well.  Her calm, neutral 
face was on the verge of a smile.  Not just a grin, not just a upturned mouth 
corner, but rather a full-blown smile.  With teeth.  With cheeks.  "Okay, now 
fold there." She said quietly, still below the notice of the teacher's hearing.  
"Flip it over, and crease the wings."

Shinji finished the paper aircraft and held it up.  It was beautiful!  A kind of 
strange dart design with wings that layered over and over on themselves.  It 
almost looked like it as a work of art...not an aircraft.  He was scared to 
throw it, less it be crushed against the wall.  "Does it fly?" he asked, running 
his fingers over it's sharp edges.  

When he turned back to Rei, she was smiling.  "One way to find out." She replied 
softly.  

The lunch bell rang suddenly, making everyone jump.  Nearly the entire class had 
been gazing at Rei, who, for the first time since she came to the school, had a 
beautiful...no...STUNNING...smile on her lips.  Her corner of the classroom 
seemed to be twice as bright.  The boys in the class refused to blink, caught in 
her beauty.  The strongest, who could pull away, simply gasped at the amazing, 
god-like Shinji Ikari, and how he was the luckiest man on the planet.  The 
ladies of the class, though amazed at Rei's change, were also whispering about 
Shinji...the man who caused Rei Ayanami to smile like that.  

The Sensei, who expected the entire class to be gone by the time he turned 
around after hearing the lunch bell, were all still in their seats.  "AHEM!" the 
old man said.  "Would you all like me to continue with the lesson?  Or would you 
all like to eat instead?"

Despite the amazing events, everyone wasn't about to pass up lunch, and hurried 
out of the class to the cafeteria.  

"Come on." Shinji said to Rei.  "Let's see how it flies." He motioned his head 
to out the window.  

Rei had lost her smile, but seemed still quite enthusiastic.  "Yes.  If we throw 
it into the breeze, it should be fine."

They left the class together.

Asuka sat at her desk, still blinking.  "I'm in hell!" she gasped.  "That's the 
only explanation!  I died during the last Angel attack, and I'm in HELL!"  her 
brain was whirling...not due to any influence from Cupid, either.  Her mind had 
finally digested the disturbingly erotic images of Shinji earlier on that 
morning, but now, those images were replaced by Rei touching his hands.

He never even flinched!  He let that...he let WONDER GIRL just...clomp all over 
him!  For Rei, that was the equivalent of getting down on her knees and reaching 
for his pants!  And they looked so happy!  Just playing with paper!  

For one, brief moment, Asuka Langley was jealous.  No...not jealous.  
Sickeningly jealous.  She quietly brought out her cell phone and called Misato.  
"I..." she stated suddenly.  "I don't feel very well...I'm coming home."

Misato's voice was concerned.  "I'll send security by to pick you up."

"No..." Asuka said quietly.  "I can walk..."

A long pause.  "Okay...call if you need anything else..."

The redhead stood numbly, then walked out of the classroom with a perplexed look 
on her face.  


With one, graceful throw, Rei's airplane left her fingers and soared through the 
air.  Shinji watched in amazement at it's peaceful, steady flight.  "Rei!  Where 
did you learn to make those?" he gasped as it finally came to rest on the ground 
so far away.  "That was great!"

Rei was blushing as she walked over to retrieve her creation.  "You will not 
like my answer." She said softly.  Everything about her seemed soft.  Delicate.  
Elegant. 

Shinji finally saw through her masks and her calm...finding a rather remarkable, 
lovely young lady.  He shook his head.  "Please, I'd like to know!"

"Commander Ikari." Rei said with apologetic eyes.  Shinji's mood darkened 
slightly, but for once, he seemed able to push the thoughts away.  She cocked 
her head to one side slightly.  "You are not mad?"

"Not when I'm with you." Shinji admitted warmly.  Cupid, though silent as not to 
distract his young human friend, seemed to be quite happy.  He could feel a 
smile at the back of his mind.

"Ikari?" Rei said suddenly.

"Yes?"

She walked up to him, examining him with her red eyes.  Shinji felt very awkward 
as she looked him over.  "You..." she stated "...have changed."

Shinji swallowed hard.  "W...what do you mean?"

"May I..." she paused, this time seemingly lost in her own thoughts.  "May I 
talk to you tomorrow?" she looked up, locking her eyes with his.  "I enjoyed 
talking to you today."

"Of course!" Shinji nodded quickly.  "I would..." he smiled.  "...enjoy that as 
well."

She nodded, matter-of-factly.  "Very well." She held up her paper creation for 
him to take.  "I wish you to have this."

"A gift?" Shinji blinked.

"Yes." Rei stated coldly...though Shinji could see a glimmer in her eyes. 

He took it with a warm smile.  "Thank you, Rei-chan."

They stood there for a moment.  Rei finally gave him a tiny grin, then turned.  
"Goodbye, Ikari-san."

No sooner had she left Shinji alone with his thoughts did Cupid's voice return.  
"I didn't think she had it in her!" he admitted.  "That was amazing!"

Shinji found himself nodding.  He was standing alone on the side of the school, 
so he answered back vocally.  "She normally isn't like that."

"I know.  I can recall most of your memories of her." Cupid said.

He sighed.  "She's beautiful when she smiles." He ran his hand over the paper in 
his hand.  "I had no idea..."

Cupid coughed.  "Just keep in mind what she is, Ikari.  A paper airplane does 
not mean true love.  All I did was open the friendship between you two a little 
wider."  He neglected to mention Asuka's reaction, but was equally pleased at 
how that went as well. 

Ikari slumped to the ground and then lay on the grass, looking up at the sky as 
he held the airplane in his hands.  "I know...I know...maybe I just feel I can 
connect with her easier.  I mean, every day, I'm up against people who are 
louder, smarter, older and better than I am." He sighed contently.  "Rei makes 
me feel like I have someone to talk to...even if she never talks to me.  It's 
not that she's lesser than I am...in fact, she seems to be hiding a lot of her 
abilities.  But, she's not always trying to push herself onto me.  She never 
tries to...compete...with me.  Not like just Asuka...but the others too.  Misato 
is always teasing me, and..." He frowned at his own words.  "Does that make 
sense?"

A pause.  Cupid seemed to be lost in thought.

Shinji sat up suddenly.  "Oh my god!"

"W...what is it?" Cupid asked.

"T...that's it, isn't it!" he said.  "You're just like me!  That's why you're 
helping me!"

There was no answer.  

"Of course!" Shinji continued.  "You must feel exactly like I do!  Always up 
against your bigger brothers who are smarter, more powerful, and bigger than you 
are."

"I..." Cupid stammered.  "...maybe..." he sighed.  It was a long, tired sigh.  
"yeah...I guess so."

Shinji lay back down.  "Maybe we're not so different.  Humans and angels."

"We all have feelings, if that's what you mean." Cupid said.  "You're right.  
That first night, when I was trapped inside you, I started to look through some 
of your memories..." he paused.  "Nothing too personal, I promise."

Shinji smiled, unconcerned.  "It's okay."

"I realized that if I could help you...maybe...just maybe..." Cupid sighed.  
"I'd know enough to pull myself out of the same situation."

"You're doing fine so far." Shinji admitted.  "I feel great!  I finally 
connected with Misato, and Rei seems interested in at least becoming a friend." 
He sighed contently.  "Even if you don't help me find true love, I will be 
happy."

There was a slight pause.  "Shinji...I know I promised you a chance for Love.  I 
will give you that chance, but the tricky thing with love is that it has to be 
the right time for that other person as well." Cupid said.  His voice was 
serious, yet back to it's old tone.  "By George, however, I'm going to give it 
my best shot."

"Without any mind-control?" Shinji laughed.

"Not much." Cupid replied happily.  "I promise.  If this works, I want you to 
have no doubt in your heart that it is real, and not just an Angel's powers."

Shinji felt like he needed to hug something.  "How can I ever repay you?"

A pause.  "Can we swing by the music store on the way back?" Cupid asked 
innocently.  "You have no idea how hard it is to get a good radio station back 
home."

"Deal."


Misato didn't dare bother Asuka when she came through the door that evening.  
Her hair was messy and her eyes glared like particle beam weapons.  She looked 
on the edge of "berserker" herself.  "If you need anything, just ask." Misato 
offered, then quickly ran off in case the redhead exploded.  

It had been hours since Asuka got home.  Almost five on the clock.  "Where IS 
he?" she fumed as she ate another bowl of ice-cream.  It was chocolate chip.  
Not really her favorite, but if she didn't occupy her mind with something, she 
was going to go insane.  

She could almost feel the air shift outside in the hall as the elevator a few 
apartments away finally opened and a body came walking towards the door.  She 
gasped, realizing she probably looked pathetic, and started to straighten out 
her hair quickly. 

As the door opened, however, and Shinji walked in...every well rehearsed lecture 
and loud rant she had planned were vaporized in an instant.  Shinji glanced over 
to her, with those dark blue eyes and his smile that had been the talk of the 
entire student body that day.  The smile that actually caused Rei Ayanami to 
stop being a vegetable for a few moments.  

Asuka, before that point, never wanted to be Rei Ayanami so much in her life.

Shinji noticed the strange look on her face and raised an eyebrow.  "Asuka?" he 
asked, kicking off his shoes before he entered on the carpet.  "Are you okay?  
Sensei told me you left just after lunch started."

"I...I'm fine." She nodded, looking down at her ice-cream.

Cupid noticed Shinji's hesitation and smiled.  "Go on...trust me."

"Did you see Rei today?" he laughed.  "Ooh, and look at this." He reached into 
his book bag and pulled out the carefully preserved paper airplane Rei had made.

"I didn't know Wonder Girl was so artistically inclined." Asuka said coldly, 
never looking up.  "Pretty amazing." Her spoon scooped another bite of chocolate 
chip into her mouth.  Something passed over her body, however, and she shivered.

Shinji blinked, then walked over to her, bending down a little to look at her 
closer.  She frowned.  "WHAT?!"

He smiled, raised his finger, and wiped a small dab of ice-cream off of the tip 
of her nose.  "It tastes better if you get it in your mouth, Asuka-chan..."

She watched him walk off, and a moment later, heard the door to his room close 
shut.  A full heartbeat passed before she dared to breathe again.  Her hand came 
up and touched her nose.  "Shinji...?" she whispered to herself. 


Shinji gasped out the breath he had been holding when he was certain his room 
was locked.  "Why did you make me do that!?" he asked quickly.

"Why?" Cupid replied, obviously pleased with himself.  "You seemed to enjoy 
that."

"I thought she was about to KILL me!" Shinji gasped.  "The last time I 
accidentally brushed up against her, she grabbed my arms, twisted my neck, and 
almost dislocated my shoulders!"

Cupid just laughed quietly.

"And I thought I told you!" Shinji said, absentmindedly putting his finger into 
his mouth.  "I don't want her a part of your tricks."

"I did nothing." Cupid said.  "I just told you to do what you wanted to do."

"I didn't want to do that!" Shinji protested, not really noticing he still had 
the taste of chocolate-chip-Asuka in his mouth.  "Are you SURE you know what 
you're doing?"

"Trust me." The Angel replied happily.  "I know what I'm doing.  Now, where's 
that lovely music you promised me?"

He sighed, ignoring the strange craving he felt for ice-cream, and then smiled 
as he pulled some music SDAT tapes out of his bag.  "Maybe you're right.  A 
little music would be nice."


Asuka lay on her bed that night, not remembering to get undressed.  Her mind 
felt like a tornado had come to visit for the weekend, then departed only after 
it was sure she was completely tossed around.  

Shinji...what was happening to him?  What was happening to her?  Every time she 
was around him, it was like her tongue wouldn't move.  Her average day consisted 
of no less than twenty instances of calling him 'baka' or 'hentai.'  Sometimes, 
when she was bored she'd try combining those two words with German.  It made for 
some wonderful evil-sounding phrases.  She loved watching him squirm when she 
cursed at him in German.  Most of the time, she never even had to say something 
bad.  She could say 'That's a nice shirt, Shinji' in a menacing tone of voice 
and he'd cringe like she was about to hit him.

But lately?  Ever since Misato told her about the Angel battle?  There was 
something on his mind.  He had gotten...sturdier?  Yes, that was the word.  
Instead of looking into those eyes she loved to tease until they glanced away, 
she now found them looking right back at her.

They weren't angry.  They weren't threatening to retaliate.  They were simply 
asking her something.  Questioning her on something.  Letting her know that 
if...

No.  

No!  

This had to be a trick!  Something Shinji and the other Stooges had been 
planning to get back at her for all those months of her grace.  Little boys who 
wouldn't know a REAL woman if she walked up to them and smacked them across the 
head.  

Asuka lay on her bed that night, trying to believe herself.  Eventually, she 
did, but only enough to get some sleep.

"Baka..." she sighed.


Morning.


DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DAH!

Misato and Asuka, both unable to sleep, looked up in surprise as music filled 
the tiny apartment.  Again, the music came.  Heavy, rock N roll piano.

DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DAH!

Shinji came sliding out through the halls, wearing socks, a long white shirt, 
and sunglasses.  In his hand he held his SDAT next to his mouth like a 
microphone.  

"JUST TAKE THOSE OLD RECORDS OFF THE SHELF!! I'll sit and listen to them by 
myself...!

Misato and Asuka's jaws dropped on the table as Shinji continued to sing, not 
quite noticing they were already awake.  In his arms were two tiny speakers 
connected to his SDAT.  "Today's music ain't got the same soul!!  I like that 
old time ROCK N ROLL!  OOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!"

He never even noticed the girls as he slid down the other hall in his socks, 
then closed the bathroom door behind himself.

It was dead silent in the apartment once again.  Misato silently got up, walked 
to the fridge and grabbed herself a beer.  Without asking, she grabbed one for 
Asuka as well.  Both of them downed their respective beers, cringed at the 
taste, then continued to stare at the wall.  

"I didn't know Ikari could sing...?" Misato asked. 

There was a long...long pause.  

"He wasn't half bad."  Misato said finally.

Asuka began to hit her head with the ball of her palm again.  "I must be 
dead..."


Touji and Kensuke finally caught up with Shinji as the EVA pilots arrived at 
school that day.  "Since when do YOU wear sunglasses?" Touji gasped, almost not 
believing the pair of simple, yet very cool looking shades on his friend's nose.  

"Since I noticed the future's so bright, I gotta wear shades." Shinji laughed.

Kensuke just blinked.  "Well, I guess it is a little bright outside..."

"Never mind." Shinji sighed.  "I've been listening to oldie songs all night."

Both his friends blinked.  Kensuke began to examine his friend closely.  Shinji 
finally got annoyed.  "WHAT??"

"What have you done with the REAL Shinji?!?"

"Check his eyes!  I bet you can see the alien implants from his eyes!" 

"Hey!" Shinji frowned, taking off his shades.  "I'm still the same Shinji!  I 
still like opera and blues...I just felt like it was time for a change of pace."

Both his friends finished looking him over for any type of alien presence, and 
seemed satisfied.  "Okay." Touji said.  "But...if you're the REAL 
Shinji...where's Asuka?"

Shinji blushed, but only enough that someone looking for it would have noticed.  
"W...what do you mean?"

"Devil-Girl is always smacking your head on the way to school!" Kensuke 
explained.  "Or have you forgotten already?"

Shinji felt the back of his head, then looked very worried.  "You're right!  
There are no lumps!" he looked around quickly.  "I don't know where she is!"

"THAT must be why you're so happy." Laughed Touji.  

Shinji frowned.  Touji blinked, then stopped laughing.  "Actually," he said 
"she's been really nice to me lately." He scratched his head.  "Maybe Misato 
gave her a lecture or something?"

"Misato could give ME a lecture any time she wanted." Drooled Kensuke.  That 
prompted swift 'bad joke' slaps from the other two.  

"How do you mean 'nice'?" inquired Touji.  "She only calls you a perverted idiot 
twenty times a day instead of ninety?"

"Or lets you kiss her feet without breaking your nose in the process?" Kensuke 
added.

Shinji blushed...this time quite noticeably.  "Well, she didn't try to kill me 
after I...uh...touched her nose..."

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Touji gasped.  "My GOD MAN!  Are you MAD!  HUH?  ARE YOU!?  
MAD?!!  That's fooling around with Death!  Like tying Lucifer's shoe-laces 
together and telling him the ice-cream truck is coming and watching the fun!  
It's downright INSANE!" he paused his ranting.  "She...didn't try to kill 
you!?!?  Did you do it on purpose??"

Kensuke gasped as well.  "You mean you PURPOSELY touched her?!?  On a non-sexual 
body part?  That's simply not worth the risk!  I could understand if you went 
for the breast and then ran...but her FACE?"

"There's nothing wrong with her face." Shinji said quietly.  The blush had crept 
all over his body.

Both Kensuke and Touji looked over at each other, then back at Shinji.  In their 
eyes was a look he had never seen from them before.  They both sank down on 
their knees and began to bow up and down like praying monks.  Shinji suddenly 
felt the stares of everyone in the school yard as his two friends began to 
worship him like an idol.  

"LORD IRON-BALLS IKARI!" they began to chant.  

Half of the girls around them began to blush and giggle, whispering amongst 
themselves.  Shinji finally grabbed his friends and hauled them to their feet.  
"What are you DOING?!" he gasped.

"What do you mean?" Touji said.  "Anyone who faces certain death like that has 
some bloody big balls, I'll tell you right now."

"I wasn't facing death!" Shinji said dryly as he drug them behind himself, 
walking into the school to avoid all the eyes still in the school yard.  "And if 
you ever do that again, YOU'LL be facing death!"

Cupid had been pretty quiet all day, and finally laughed a response.  "Lord 
Iron-Balls, eh?  Should we put that on your locker-tag?"

"Oh shut up!" Shinji replied.

"Who's he talking to?" Kensuke laughed.

Noticing only a few more minutes of freedom existed before class started, they 
hurried down the hall and into homeroom.  Their conversation moved to the usual 
matters of who was going to bring chips and pop to their next Godzilla VS Mothra 
watching, and how the latest Angel battle was so cool that Shinji killed it all 
by himself.  Shinji still couldn't remember much of the battle, so he just 
changed the subject as quickly as he could.  

"Do you humans really hate us that much?" Cupid asked suddenly.

Shinji focused his thoughts.  "Today is a nice day.  If you saw this city after 
or during an attack, you would know why we don't like your bigger brothers."

"I suppose so." Cupid sighed.  "So much hate..."

Shinji could only agree.

Suddenly, the room's mood seemed to darken.  That meant only one thing.  Asuka 
walked through the door.  Shinji looked over to Touji and Kensuke and glared 
them both in the eyes.  "If either of you even scratch your nose, she's going to 
notice and kill us all."

They both nodded.  While gossip was fine and dandy, it wasn't worth getting 
killed by Devil-Girl...er...Asuka Langley.  She walked in the door, however, and 
the Three Stooges almost fell over when she simply walked past them, nodding a 
brief hello to Kensuke and Touji, and then turning to go to her desk.  

"Strike that, reverse that." Touji whispered.  "Shinji's not the alien!" he 
turned to Kensuke.  "SHE is!"

"I would have to agree." Kensuke gasped, pushing his glasses up on his nose.  A 
moment later, he had his camera out.  "Time:  Oh-Eight-Hundred.  Subject:  Asuka 
Langley, Alien Abduction report."
	
"Put that away!" Shinji grumbled.  His eyes softened when he saw her face.  She 
was obviously tired.  Though she had caught just enough sleep to prevent circles 
from forming under her eyes, she looked due for a nice, long nap.  Every 
movement was tired and lacking her usual exuberant energy.  "I...I wonder if 
she's feeling okay?"

Both of his friends looked at Shinji like he had just given birth to a dozen 
live lobsters.  Cupid, however, seemed equally concerned.  "You'd better go over 
and see if she's okay."

"Right." Shinji frowned.  

"Shinji?" 

"Shinji!!?!"

Both of them gasped as Shinji stood and walked over to Asuka, who had since 
lowered her head in her arms and looked like she was about to go to sleep.  

"She's going to flip..." Kensuke gasped. 

"My god!  This is going to be horrible..." Touji sighed, holding his head in his 
hands.  

"What did I tell you?" Cupid said.  "No matter what?"

"Stay cool.  Use the Force.  That type of stuff." Shinji thought back.  

"Yeah.  Stay Fonzie.  What's Fonzie again?"

"Cool."

"Yeah.  Cool."

And so, as Shinji walked over to Asuka's desk from the corner of the room where 
the Three Stooges often hung out, he drew looks from everyone in the room.  His 
shoulders were back and his stride was confident.  Those who were privileged 
enough to see the Evangelions in action would see that he strode like his EVA-
01.  Asuka looked up and saw him kneel down across from her.

"What the hell do YOU want?" was what she meant to say...but it came out more 
like 

"Wh...ohh...?"

"Asuka-chan?  Are you okay?  Do you want me to call Misato?"  Shinji asked with 
genuine concern.  "You don't seem to be yourself today." He said with a tiny 
smile.

"Leave me alone, baka." She said quietly.  "I'm just tired."

Shinji looked worried.  "You're flushed." He stated.  "Give me your hand."

Asuka almost jumped backwards.  "W...what?"

"Give me your hand." He repeated softly.  "As Third Child, I'm asking if I can 
see if you are in good health."

Despite the warnings in her head blaring, she gave him her hand.  Her breath 
caught as he took it and gently pressed his index finger against her wrist.  He 
looked confused for a moment, then looked up.  Their eyes locked.

"Oh god...her eyes...they're so...blue..." Shinji found himself thinking.

"Oh god...he can see it...I know he can..." Asuka's mind told itself.  

"Shinji!  Focus!" Cupid urged.

"Your..." he cleared his throat.  "Your heart is racing..." he said.  But as he 
said those words, he realized that might mean she was sick.  "I'm going to get 
you back home and into bed."

Jaws dropped within earshot.  

Asuka's entire face was red.  Shinji FINALLY realized what he had said and was 
about to correct himself, when Asuka's personal defenses managed to kick in just 
in time to save herself from agreeing that he should take her to bed.  

"HENTAI!" she gasped, yanking her hand back.

"Oh dude." Touji sighed.  "He's a dead man."

"We will think well of you, brave Shinji!" Kensuke added.

Sure enough, a resounding SLAP echoed around the entire room.  Everyone who had 
been pretending not to notice the exchange was now gasping at the sound.  She 
had hit him.

Hard.

He lay, half fallen on the ground, barely keeping himself up from the floor with 
a shaking arm.  "SHINJI!" Cupid gasped.  "Are you okay!?!"

"I'm fine..." Shinji whispered to himself, his other hand coming up to try to 
steady his shaking body.  

Asuka finally realized how hard she hit him, and almost fell to her knees to 
help him up herself. "Sh..." she started, but realized she couldn't finish.  Her 
own stubborn pride now acting as a cage she couldn't back out of now.

Everyone gasped as he stood.  His entire left cheek was burning red.  A tiny 
trickle of blood was at the corner of his lip.  Slowly, though, as he regained 
his composure, he almost looked like nothing had happened.  Though it was a 
little muddled, he smiled slightly and bowed his head.  "Asuka-chan...I'm not a 
hentai." He said flatly.  "I was just trying to help."

"Y..." she gasped, looking for words, but finding none.  She pointed to the 
other Two Stooges.  "Oh yeah?  They put you up to this?" she growled.  Her voice 
was hardly convincing, yet it was enough to make the two cower.  

"Why would they?" Shinji asked, touching his hand to his cheek.  It hurt.  A 
LOT.  But...if he backed out now...  "Asuka-chan...everyone here knows that if 
they act perverted toward you in any way that you will kill them."

The entire class nodded quickly.  That didn't help her resolve.

He took a deep breath and nodded.  "I just wanted to make sure you were okay." 
The young Ikari said warmly.  "Obviously, you're feeling fine enough to kick my 
ass." He touched his cheek again.  "I'll leave you alone now."

And he bowed.  

The professor wondered what happened as he walked in the class, and Shinji 
walked past, bowing briefly and then out into the hall.  "What's going on here?" 
he frowned at the class, who were mostly looking at the door where Shinji had 
just left.  

Touji and Kensuke looked at each other and couldn't believe what they just saw.  
They immediately got down to their knees and began to chant.  Asuka ran out the 
opposite door before the glares could turn to her.  Rei, if she had been paying 
much attention to the whole scene after Shinji left, would have noticed tears in 
her eyes.  "School is strange." Rei sighed to herself.

All the male students had since joined the tribute to the man who faced Asuka 
Langley and lived to walk away.  "ALL HAIL LORD IRON-BALLS!"

The sensei actually had to call in the principal to stop the chanting.  


Shinji didn't feel like he had balls of iron, though.  He walked home, upright 
and proud, but he felt like absolute shit.  The throbbing pain on his face felt 
worse than anything he had ever experienced inside EVA-01.  At least when his 
arms were ripped off or his stomach slashed open inside the EVA, it was just 
physical pain.  This was also emotional, though.  

"You're quiet." He grumbled in his mind.  "Whatever your plan is, I bet it just 
hit a brick wall named Asuka."

"No." Cupid replied.  "I'm not worried."

"Why not?" Shinji sighed.  "I just got humiliated in the middle of class and got 
slapped by Her Royal Bitchiness for my trouble."

Cupid was silent as he considered a response.  "Did you ever hear of the term 
'you can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs?'"

"No!"  Shinji frowned.  "What the hell is an omelet?" 

Damn!  "Uh, okay, how about egg-noodles." Cupid sighed.  "Anyway, the point of 
that little saying is to say that sometimes, to make one thing, you must break 
something else."

"Like my JAW?" Shinji yelled out.  "Or..." his voice faded.  "How about my 
heart?  How many noodles will that make?"

"Shinji..."

"Cupid." He interrupted.  "You..." he cringed slightly.  "You knew how much I 
cared for Asuka.  But, you have to realize that...it's never going to get any 
better between me and her." His eyes stung from the tears.  "She hates me.  She 
barely wants to talk to me unless it's to insult me.  My fondest moments of her 
are when she calls me names."

Cupid could say nothing in reply.  Maybe these two were stuck to be less than 
lovers.  Timing was a bitch when it came to Love. 

"Unless you feel this is our last day together, I'd like to have some time 
alone." Shinji whispered.

There was a pause.  "Very well.  Just tell me when you need me.  I'll be 
listening." Another pause.  "I'm sorry, Shinji."

"It's not your fault." He sighed weakly.  "You didn't push anything that wasn't 
there already."

Alone, in pain, yet...still...somehow better than before, poor Shinji Ikari made 
his way home.  Back to his familiar ceilings and his music.  And Misato.  At 
least he could get fussed over by Misato.  


Somehow, Asuka had been expecting something like this.  Misato stood...actually 
stood...in front of the door.  Waiting for her return.  Her eyes shot icicles 
into Asuka's already aching heart.  "Get out of your school clothes.  Then, you 
will join me in the kitchen, Second Child." Her voice gritted as she said that 
last word.  Child.  "I suggest you hurry."  

She nodded and walked to her room, throwing her stuff on the floor and getting 
changed as quickly as she could.  Her eyes were dry from crying all day.  She 
didn't have the strength to argue against Misato right now.  On her way out, she 
heard music coming from Shinji's room.  Her heart sunk as she realized what song 
it was.  An old song from before the Second Impact.  "Something I can never 
have."

The older woman was seated at the kitchen table.  A beer was in her hand, and 
even though it was open, not a sip had been taken from it.  Misato wanted to be 
perfectly sober and clear during this...discussion.  Asuka sat down across from 
her, hanging her head meekly.  "I...I don't know what to say..." the redhead 
whispered.

"Three stitches."

"Wh...?"

"I took Shinji down to the infirmary to get him checked out." Misato said 
flatly.  "He had been acting strange ever since the last battle with the Angel, 
and I wanted to make sure it hadn't gotten into his mind or something."

"And?" Asuka asked.

"Nothing.  No blue patterns.  No strange brainwaves." Misato frowned, leaning 
back.  "Shinji is perfectly fine." She crunched the can in her hand slightly.  
"Except for the three stitches we had to sew up his cheek with."

Limp, red hair hid Asuka's eyes as she lowered her head onto the table with a 
soft thump.

"Some of your friends called from school." Misato said, finally taking a swig of 
her brew.  

"Oh?" Asuka asked quietly.  "What did they want?"

"They wanted to talk to Shinji." Misato smiled purposely.  "Five young ladies 
called and wanted to see if he was okay." She shook her head and took another 
long belt of beer.  "They seemed very concerned.  I had no idea he was 
developing such a fan club."

A long pause.  

"What's going on, Asuka?" Misato asked finally.  "You are ALWAYS complaining 
about Shinji.  How he's a coward.  How he's stupid.  How he's a pervert.  How 
he's a wussy." She leaned over the table.  "And when he finally changes, you are 
the FIRST person to flip out and almost fracture his jaw."

Asuka could say nothing.  Not when she knew it was right.  The stubborn core of 
her defense still tried, though.  "He...he...glommed...Wonder Girl..." she said 
between raged breath.  "Hentai..."

Misato's eyes narrowed into razor-sharp-slits.  "Ooh...I see now..."

Asuka looked up.  "What??"

"Shinji can't change...unless it's for you...is that it?" Misato said with true 
disgust in her voice.  "YOU have to be his goddess and queen and all of that 
shit.  Not Rei.  Not the other twenty girls in your class who realize what you 
don't seem capable of.  Not me or..." her voice caught suddenly.  Asuka's eyes 
were wide.  Misato sighed and continued.  "Did you ever think that maybe Shinji 
wanted to change for HIMSELF?  That maybe he was tired of people putting him 
down all the time?"

Another very uncomfortable pause.  Shinji's music could be heard in the 
background...just barely audible.  

"Maybe you hate him for what he's become." Misato sighed, standing.  "Maybe you 
hate him for leaving you behind.  I don't care." She leaned down so her face was 
an inch away from Asuka's.  "If I EVER see you hurt that young man like you did 
today, I will personally lick the stamps to mail you back to Germany." She stood 
quickly, downing the rest of her beer.  "Good night, Second Child.  I hope it's 
long and lonely for you." She grumbled and walked down the hall to her room.


A tiny scratch could be heard from outside.  Shinji had fallen asleep to his 
music long ago, though, and didn't quite catch it.  Outside stood Asuka Langley.  
She slumped against the door, sobbing quietly.  Misato's words kept crashing 
through her brain, over and over again.  

"Shinji..." she whispered, hoping on the one chance in a hundred he could hear.  

There was no answer.  She shuddered as another round of sobs wracked her.  
"Shinji, please answer..." she said.  "You...you don't have to open the 
door...just...just listen."

Nothing.  Just the eerie midnight silence of Tokyo 3 around them. 

Cupid was listening, though.  Waiting for the words.  Hoping against hope...  
"Come on..." he whispered to himself. 

"I..." she whispered.  "I'm sorry, Shinji..."

Cupid would have fallen over if he had a body.  "Well...it's a start." He 
sighed.

Asuka closed her eyes and gently lifted herself off the door.  But just before 
she left to go to her room, she carefully pressed her lips to the cold door.  
Just light enough to leave a tiny moist mark.  "G...night, Shinji-kun." She 
whispered, then walked to her room.


A byproduct of Cupid's occupancy, Shinji was beginning to realize, was the 
ability to ward of bad dreams and promote good ones.  That morning, Shinji woke 
early after having a very nice dream of flying over Tokyo 3 with a flock of 
birds.  Despite the numb pain in his cheek, he found himself smiling and looking 
forward to another beautiful day.  

On his way to the bathroom, however, he ran into Asuka, who had also just woke 
up.  They almost collided into each other while reaching for the door.  Asuka 
growled, but looked up to see Shinji.  Her face immediately softened and she 
averted her eyes.  "Y...you can go first." She said.

Shinji almost fell over.  Asuka usually fought for bathroom rights.  "What?  
No!" he said, also trying not to look directly at her.  "It's okay...you can go 
first."

Asuka shook her head.  "Please..." she sighed.  "It's the least I can do to make 
it up to you."

"Make what up to me?"

While they were arguing about who was going to NOT use the bathroom first, they 
failed to notice Pen-Pen walking towards them with a towel and a small tray of 
toiletries in his flippers.  

"You know what I mean, baka!" Asuka grumbled.  "I shouldn't have hit you so hard 
yesterday...I..."

"It's okay." Shinji shrugged.  "I should have picked better words.  It was 
probably pretty embarrassing..."

Her face was completely red.  "I...no...it's okay..."

They both were interrupted by the door slamming shut behind the little penguin 
who had slipped between them undetected.  Both their eyes were wide as they 
heard the shower start up inside.  "Well, looks like he gets it first." Shinji 
smiled...then winced. 

Asuka noticed this and frowned.  "Come on, baka," she grabbed his arm and 
dragged him into the kitchen.  "I'll get you some ice for that."

The pain-killers that the doctors gave him had since worn off, and though the 
swelling had been kept down, some ice was starting to sound like a good idea 
right about now.  He made no objections.

She looked in the fridge and emptied a portion of the impressive ice supply 
Misato kept for her drinks into a sandwich bag, then wrapped it with a dish 
cloth.  He accepted the cold-pack and placed it against his jaw.  Almost 
immediately, he let out a long, happy sigh and sunk into his chair slightly.  
"Mmm...perfect." He mumbled.  "Domo."

She sat down across from him and watched him for a moment.  "I...I really am 
sorry, Shinji.  I didn't mean to hit you that hard..." she sighed.  

A phrase came to Shinji's mind, and he smiled.  "No worries, my dear Miss 
Langley!  With a good night's rest it has been all but forgotten!"

She regarded him in a strange light.  He was smiling.  Brightly.  "Shinji...did 
you get a spine implant or something lately?"

"W...what?" he stammered.

"I mean...even Misato noticed.  She said you checked out fine, though." She 
looked at Shinji with a critical eye.  "Are you sure you're feeling okay?  Did 
that Angel do something weird to your head?"

His eyes were wide, and he looked around.  Misato was still sleeping...or so he 
hoped.  "No...no...it's just that..." he sighed.  "I just look at life 
differently now."

Asuka, despite herself, was curious.  Her look told him to continue.

"I...can't explain right now, Asuka." He sighed.  "One day, probably soon, I 
will...but not now.  It isn't appropriate."

"Not even to me?" Asuka asked before she realized what she had said.  

Shinji nodded.  "Especially to you.  You'd think that I'm just doing all this 
for attention or something." He said.  Asuka was noticeably embarrassed, but 
knew it was probably true.  "I want you..." his voice was softer suddenly.  
"...to know that this is me.  Not some joke."

Asuka was blushing.  "I believe you."

He blinked.  "You do?"

She looked up with a smile.  "You didn't notice us watching you sing yesterday, 
so you must be doing this for yourself."

He blinked.  "What?"

"You like that old time rock-n-roll, eh?" Asuka said with a grin.

Shinji went beet red.  "W-WH..." he almost fell backwards.  "You SAW THAT??!?!" 
he held his head.  "Ugh..."

"Misato was sitting with me."

Shinji tried to bury his head in the table.  "Oh..."

The shower stopped.  Asuka smiled.  "I think you deserve the shower." She 
frowned and raised a scolding finger.  "But no funny business.  I don't want you 
relieving yourself before I have a chance to shower."

"Don't worry." Shinji stood and shot her a look she couldn't quite place.  "I 
won't start without you."

He laughed and bounded off to the shower as Asuka gasped and began to throw ice 
cubes at him.  "HENTAI!!!" 


Nobody could believe it as they saw Shinji walking up the school steps that 
morning.  Touji had wagered that, at the very least, Asuka would have broken his 
legs.  The fact that Asuka walked beside him like any other normal day was even 
more astounding.  

Shinji began to hear whispers about "balls of steel" and rolled back his eyes, 
moving past the crowds as quickly as he could.

Asuka, however, stopped in front of Touji and Kensuke, noticing their looks.  
She frowned as they just stared as Shinji, then pushed both of them over with a 
finger to their foreheads.  "Baka." She sighed, walking past them to class.

The two Stooges lay on the ground, in shock.  

"Maybe we're the only humans left, Touji." Kensuke whispered.

"Must be alien-abduction-season." Agreed Touji. 


Class started.  Boredom set in, and instantly, Shinji realized his brain was 
much too quiet.  "Cupid?  Still hanging around?"

"I assume you're talking again?" Cupid asked quietly...still only half-a-voice.

"Yep."

"Shinji!  You are amazing!" Cupid laughed.  "What's gotten into you?"

"Besides you?" Shinji smiled.  "A nice young lady smashed some sense into me."

"I see." Cupid replied.  "And what sense would that be?"

"That I don't feel like running anymore." Shinji smiled to himself.

Cupid, at first, didn't quite get the choice in words.  Few people would.  
However, he could feel Shinji's smile.  "I'm glad." He said happily.  "I can 
leave knowing at least I helped."

Shinji smiled to himself.  "I hope not too soon."

There was a pause.  "I...I think I have maybe two more days with you.  I'm not 
sure...but I can feel more and more of myself getting ready to...go somewhere."

"Good.  We can at least hang out together on Saturday.  Enjoy the weekend a 
little." Shinji promised.  "I'll buy some better speakers, and we'll blast some 
Smashing Pumpkins so loud the neighbors will complain."

"NOW you're talking!" Cupid whooped happily.  "I LOVE Cherub Rock..."


Asuka, despite the tiny part of her brain that was yelling her to stop, found 
herself glancing over at Shinji all through class.  Instead of hunched over his 
computer, half goofing off and half paying attention, he had actually tilted his 
chair backwards, and was relaxing with his arms stretched out behind his head.  
Though she was just a few desks away, she wished she could be closer.  

He looked like he owned the world.  Like he had some kind of invisible jacket 
that was shielding him from all the violence and mental pressure they faced.  
Some kind of armor, that for now, gave him the confidence he needed to open 
himself up to the world instead of hiding behind the layers of protection and 
isolation he always had wrapped around his heart.

Even when she had been stupid enough to lash out at his kindness, he took it in 
stride.  Never recoiling and pulling back into his shell like he normally did.  
Almost to say, I can take what you can dish out.  Not a challenge, just an 
accepting posture.  She was the first person that the REAL Shinji seemed to 
worry about, and seemed to care about.

Asuka found herself falling hopelessly in love with him.

Of course, the moment she considered thinking that thought, her face became red 
and her brain blared all the German curses she knew against her 'Baka Shinji'.  
That portion of her mind got a swift kick to the head.

Misato had said something last night that was bugging her.  About the other 
girls.  Even now, she noticed.  Half of the female population in class was 
glancing at him with blissful looks on their faces.  Shinji, baka, didn't even 
notice, though.  Still, it would only take one pretty face with the inquiry if 
he was free for dinner to start something.  For once, the part of her mind that 
was bitching for her to start acting more subversive gave in, and offered the 
thought that Shinji was STILL a male, and would eventually find those offers 
appealing.  

Her fingers were flying on the keyboard before she could give it a second 
thought.  She inspected her message.  It looked right.  She read it again, then 
was struck by the thought that maybe she shouldn't send it.  Maybe...she was 
just being fooled.  Maybe these feelings weren't real and...

A warm wave passed through her, and she pressed 'SEND' without a second thought 
in her mind.  


Cupid grinned evilly to himself.  "Damn I'm good..."

Shinji was just about to ask what Cupid was talking about when a line of text 
appeared on his terminal.  "What's this?" he thought.

"Read it and find out.  That's usually how these things are done." Cupid 
chuckled.

He leaned over to his monitor and blinked. It read:


MEET ME ON THE NORTH FIELD AT LUNCH.  UNDER THE OAK.  WE HAVE TO TALK.
                                        -ASUKA.


Shinji blinked, then frowned.  "That doesn't sound like her."
A second later, came the message:  


P.S.) AND COME ALONE, BAKA!  WONDER-GIRL ISN'T INVITED!


He paused, then looked over to Asuka.  Asuka was smiling, but trying to look 
like she was paying attention to the lesson.  He blinked again, rubbing his 
cheek.  "Cupid?  You sure you're not controlling anyone's mind?"

"Very sure." Cupid replied happily.

Shinji blinked again.  Asuka turned slightly, frowned, and motioned to the front 
of the class with her nose.  He blushed and turned his attention to the lesson.  
Asuka smiled to herself.  It was only a few more seconds until Lunch...

Three cell phones rang.

Everyone turned to the three Children, who looked at each other, then took out 
their phones.  Cupid frowned.  "That's strange...I don't sense any of my bigger 
Brothers attacking."

The sensei sighed as the lunch bell rang.  "Okay class, keep near the shelters 
incase this is an attack.  Otherwise, enjoy your lunch."

[This is an automated NERV message.  Please report to *click* Dr. Ritsuko 
*click* immediately.  Transports will be waiting outside.  Thank you.]


Seven hours of tests. 

Any Angel that would have attacked at the end of those seven hours would have 
regretted it.  Asuka probably would have simply HATED it to death.  Her sync 
level was fine...in fact, it was a little higher than usual.  Wonder-Girl's even 
was up a few points. 

But Shinji was still in his entry plug.  They hadn't even been testing the First 
and Second Children that day.  They were simply along for the ride to make sure 
the tests had control data.  

Whatever annoyance she still harbored for Shinji was very apparent in the locker 
room as she completely demolished three lockers next to her own.  Rei watched 
idly, waiting for the fists and cursing to stop so she could safely stow away 
her plug-suit.  "It's not his fault." She mentioned simply.

That didn't help.  Asuka growled.  "I KNOW it's not his fault!" she sighed, 
slumping to the bench.  She looked up.  "Do you think maybe Shinji's in trouble?  
I mean, they must have found something..."

Rei sat down next to her and casually begun to get undressed.  How she could do 
it without shame whatsoever was beyond Asuka.  "Ikari has changed." She said 
simply.  "Maybe not by his own will."

"No!" Asuka yelled.  "I KNOW he's not just a fake!  I KNOW this new Shinji is 
still Shinji!"

Rei's red eyes found Asuka's and seemed to share understanding.  "Commander 
Ikari may not think so.  Doctor Ritsuko may not think so."

"And?" Asuka demanded.  "What do YOU think?"

Rei seemed surprised by the question.  Especially coming from Asuka.  It took 
her a moment to formulate an answer.  "I think he is still Ikari-chan." She said 
simply.  "I look forward to talking to him."

Asuka regarded Rei silently as she slid out of her plug-suit and into her 
clothes.  "You do, don't you?"

Rei nodded.  "I like paper airplanes.  I like making paper airplanes for Ikari-
chan.  I like talking to him."

Asuka lowered her head slightly.  "He seems to like it too."

Rei, in a rare moment of insight, picked up the small hint of distress in the 
redhead's voice.  "Like is not love." She replied quietly, then headed out of 
the change room.  


"This is NOT funny." Shinji grumbled to himself.  "I swear, Ritsuko, I will get 
you for this."

"Just concentrate, Shinji!" Ritsuko's voice ordered over the intercom.

"I DON'T HAVE TO!" Shinji finally yelled.

Unit 01 sat, slightly crouched in a seated position, with a determined look on 
it's face.  The purple armor on it's back-side had been unbolted, and the 
mysterious organic buttocks of the Evangelion were left open for the world to 
see.  

Below, a large holding tank waited for whatever excretions came.  The 
technicians were laughing their asses off.  

"We've been here for two hours, Ritsuko." Misato grumbled.  "It's not going to 
take a shit."

"Shinji..." Ritsuko said into the com link.  "Some of that Angel's body is still 
organically active.  It may be able to regenerate.  If we can't get it out of 
EVA-01's system, there's no telling what might happen!  You've got to do this!"

They watched from the control room.  The EVA looked like it was trying to copy 
"The Thinker" in the way it was seated on the support beams.  Finally, however, 
the massive robotic weapon stood defiantly without depositing anything into the 
holding-tank.

Shinji was furious.  "Listen, dammit.  Listen like you have never listened to 
anyone before in your entire life.  My sync rate is not going to get any higher 
today.  I don't have to take a shit.  My EVA does not have to take a shit.  
Therefore, WE WILL NOT SHIT!  Now GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

Ritsuko sighed and pressed a button, muting the connection.  "I say we flood the 
LCL with laxative."

Misato, having quiet enough of it, reached over and pressed the technician 
intercom switch.  "Return EVA-01 to it's holding position.  Get the pilot out of 
there."

"What are you DOING!?" Ritsuko demanded.  

"Ending Operation Number-Two." Misato replied.  "Go ahead.  Try to stop me."

The blonde-haired scientist finally conceded, and slumped in her chair.  "Fine.  
We'll try again two days from now."


None of the three said a word as Misato drove like crazy through the city 
streets.  Everyone seemed to be in a very shitty mood.  Or...lack of a shitty 
mood...

Cupid resolved to make his last two days with Shinji count.  

As they got back home to the apartment and Shinji began to fix some instant 
dinners, Cupid decided he'd been quiet long enough.  "Shinji.  Hope you're not 
mad at me."

"No...not you." Shinji thought back.  "Any chance you can help me cause Ritsuko 
any mental anguish?"

"Maybe later." Cupid replied.  

"What's on your mind, Cupid?" Shinji asked, taking a deep breath to calm himself 
down.  "Hungry?"

"As much as instant egg-rolls and tofu-fries sounds yummy, I think I'll pass." 
Cupid chuckled.

"Yeah.  I think I will too." Shinji sighed to himself.  All that LCL was still 
in his system.  It, unfortunately, made for a very filling meal, thought an 
unwelcome one.

"I want you to talk to Asuka tonight." Cupid said.

"What?  After I made her wait seven hours in LCL because I couldn't take a 
dump?" he laughed.  "She really WOULD kill me this time."

"Trust me on this." Cupid persisted.  "Only microwave one meal.  I'll tell you 
the rest as we go."

"I'm signing my own death warrant..." Shinji sighed gravely.  "Refusing Asuka's 
food?  I must be insane."


Asuka and Misato sat, looking equally pissed off at their jobs.  Misato had 
explained there had been little she could have done, and the Children seemed to 
know this.  Still, Asuka looked like she had little sympathy for Misato.  

When Shinji returned from the kitchen with food, though, their faces brightened.  
"Ahh, that's more like it!" Misato sighed happily as the paper and plastic 
container was placed down in front of her.  

Asuka waited happily for the same to be done for her, but instead, was shocked 
when Shinji walked over to the door and put on his jacket.  "W...HEY!  Where are 
you going?"

"Aren't you coming?" Shinji smiled mischievously.  "I thought we were going to 
the North field.  We can pick up something to eat on the way" He paused.  
"Unless you're too tired."

Asuka fell for that like a ton of bricks.  "Tired?!  HA!" she jetted to her feet 
and grabbed her coat.  "I'd race you there, but you'd probably get lost and I'd 
have to come back to get you!"

Misato watched the exchange with a grin behind her noodle-filled-mouth.  Pen-Pen 
seemed unimpressed by the simple rouse, and got himself a beer.  "Wuaaagh."

"Don't wait up, Misato." Asuka warned as she grabbed Shinji by the collar to 
pull him out of the door with her.  "With baka here slowing me down, who knows 
when we'll be back."

As they walked down the stairs and out into the twilight streets, Asuka finally 
realized something was up.  "Baka!" she smacked him playfully on the arm.  "Now 
you made us miss dinner!"

"This way." Shinji promised.  "Convenience store food is surprisingly good for 
growing minds and bodies." He chuckled.  

They entered the local 7-11, looked around for a brief moment, then both decided 
to get an order of chicken wings and some sodas.  From there, the school was 
only a few blocks away, and they arrived just as Tokyo 3 began to shift it's 
more vital structures from the Geofront to the exposed sky above.  As they 
started walking towards the large oak on the field, however, Asuka began to 
remember why she invited him out there earlier on that day.  Her walk became 
slower, forcing Shinji to take his time as well.  

"I suppose you're wondering why I told you to come here." She said quietly as 
they picked out a seat under the huge tree.

"It had come across my mind." Shinji shrugged.  "But I don't care where we are." 
He smiled.  "I always enjoy talking to you."

"Yeah." She said in a mocking tone, yet she was hanging her head.  "When I'm not 
beating the shit out of you."

Cupid was silent, so Shinji had to take a deep breath and adlib.  "We've had a 
few conversations!" he promised.  "And each time, I've enjoyed them." He said, 
unpacking their food in a makeshift picnic.  

"Oh yeah?  Like when!?" Asuka frowned.

Shinji faltered for a moment, but managed to remember one.  "Do you remember 
last week?  When we were watching that show on bats?  And you kept saying how 
disgusting they were and I was saying they weren't so bad?"

She smiled warmly.  "Okay...I suppose that was a discussion."

Shinji almost dropped the chicken wings as he saw her smile.  Her face, totally 
relaxed and happy, was lit by the thin orange band of sunlight that was left of 
the sunset.  Her hair, though messy from the tests earlier on, framed her face 
perfectly...even tossing a few strands across her cheeks.  She raised an eyebrow 
as she watched him falter for a moment.  "You okay?"

"Wonderful." Shinji said, a little too quickly.  He just shook it off, though.  
No time for day-dreaming, Ikari!  Not when you can spend time with the real 
item!      

Asuka, on the other hand, was having quite the internal dilemma.  Shinji's eyes 
were still locked onto hers, and they seemed perfectly content to continue to 
gaze at her with the peaceful force that had been buffeting against her defenses 
all day.  She wasn't sure if she was feeling scrutinized, or becoming aroused 
from the attention she was receiving. "Don't look at me like that." Asuka 
whispered quietly.  

Shinji turned away quickly, but then, on retrospect, turned back.  "Why not?" he 
asked.

She really hadn't expected him to say that, and had no reply ready.  "Uh..."

Shinji waited patiently with a smile.

"Because." She said, returning to her usual posture.  "It's not polite to 
stare."

"Mmmph." Shinji pouted playfully.  "You're no fun." He turned away, taking the 
box of chicken wings with him.

"HEY!" Asuka frowned, then sighed.  "Fine.  You can look.  Just not anything 
lower than my neck." She said with false anger.  "I can never be sure with you 
hentai Shinji."

He turned back around and they began to munch on the chicken quietly.  Shinji 
made good his promise, and was all too happy to gaze at Asuka's face.  When she 
wasn't huffing and puffing about something, she was truly one of the most 
beautiful girls in school.  

"Shinji?  Can I ask you something?" Asuka asked after she had nibbled on a few 
of the pieces of chicken.  

He nodded.  

"Why do you put up with me?"

Shinji swallowed hard.  "W...wha?"

Asuka frowned at him.  "Why don't you at least get mad at me?  Why don't you hit 
me back?  Why don't you tell me to get away from you when I do all these 
horrible things to you?" she hadn't realized it, but she had started crying 
somewhere in the middle of her questions.  

He waited a long time before answering.  Asuka finally noticed her tears and 
quickly wiped them off of her face with the back of her hand.  "Because I 
know..." he shrugged.  "I know you do all that because it's your defense."

Asuka raised an eyebrow.

"Like me and my music." Shinji sighed, moving to sit next to her against the 
tree.  "I try to pull myself away from all the bad things we have to face in 
life.  You, however, at LEAST have a constructive defense.  How many Angels have 
you saved us from because you simply wouldn't give up?" he smiled as he saw her 
blush.  "Asuka Langley...too mean to let anything through."

She nodded to herself, mostly.  "Thank you."

Shinji said nothing.  

She turned to him.  "Maybe you're not such a baka after all." She grinned.  

"Anything's possible." Shinji offered.  

A long pause as the words came to her.  "But...Shinji...you survived my 
attacks."

Shinji blinked.  

She turned to him again.  They were seated with their shoulders touching.  She 
cocked her head and looked right into his eyes.  "You managed to get through, 
Shinji.  You're the only man that ever has."

He swallowed hard as he saw the look in her eyes.  

"While monsters the size of skyscrapers couldn't even get through..." her voice 
was barely over a whisper.  "...you stood your ground.  Shinji Ikari...you've 
seen my heart." Her eyes closed.  "You've touched it."

Her hand reached over and caught his.  Shinji almost developed a nosebleed from 
the action.  Instead of the face-smashing grip that she usually had, her hand 
was soft and warm.  Long, smooth fingers wrapped themselves around his own and 
squeezed gently.  

"Shinji..." she said slowly.  "...if this is all a joke, then I won't mind.  If 
this is all a trick, please tell me now." She looked up, into his eyes.  "But if 
you are the Shinji that has touched my heart, then I have something to tell 
you."

Her expectant look forced Shinji to examine himself.  Had he really done all 
this?  Was this all an Angel's trick?  How could he be sure?  In two days, would 
he be as confident?  

"Shinji?" Asuka asked again.  There was a genuine look of fear in her eyes.  
"Please, tell me...?"

He took a long, deep breath.  "I am..." he nodded slowly, squeezing her hand 
back. "A...Asuka...please, don't think I'd ever trick you."

She let out a long, sigh of relief.  "Shinji Ikari..."

A bright, horrible, white light flooded their vision.  Both of them raised their 
hands to protect their eyes.  A gruff, angry voice called out.  "HEY!  You kids!  
Get off my grass!"

Both of them had large drops of sweat on their foreheads.  When it was clear 
that the annoying school groundskeeper wasn't going to stop shining the 
flashlight in their eyes, they stood reluctantly.  "Don't you know who we ARE?" 
Asuka stormed over to the man.

He was unimpressed.  "I don't care!  You kids are WAY past your curfew!  How 
would you like me to call your parents!?!"

Shinji walked over to the man and, with a slight smile, handed the man his cell-
phone.  "Be my guest.  It's on speed dial five."

The caretaker, an elderly old geezer with a shaved head, regarded Shinji with a 
scowl.  "I'll just do that!  What's your name, brat?!"

"Ikari Shinji." 

"That better be your real name." The man dialed.

A second later, the phone connected to the head office at NERV.  A very angry 
Commander Ikari answered.  Yelling could be heard from the other end of the 
line.  Commander Ikari did not like being called at so late an hour, and made it 
very clear he did not consider his son a valid excuse to be woken like that.  

The caretaker handed the phone back a few seconds later.  His face ghost white.  
"S...Sorry..." he whimpered.

The caretaker almost ran off.  

Shinji smiled as he pocketed his cell phone.  Just the look on that man's face 
was worth a little of his father's horrible treatment towards the Children.  At 
least he wasn't biased, and generally regarded EVERYONE with the same 
disinterest and intolerance.

"Did you see the look on his face, Asuka-chan?" he laughed, turning 
around...only to find air.

"Cupid!" he gasped.

Cupid replied.  "Down the street.  Hurry..."  


Asuka was almost breaking into a sprint by the time he even saw her.  Her eyes 
lowered in a very angry look.  Shinji caught up to her.  "What's wrong!?!"

She kept walking.  "Nothing."

Shinji wasn't about to be shot down so easily.  "Tell me what you were going to 
say."

"I can't." she choked.  "Just give me a moment.  I can't just summon up those 
kinds of words any time I need them."

Shinji frowned, honestly not knowing what she was getting at.  "Asuka!  Would 
you just slow down for a second!"

She kept walking.  "What does it matter anyway?  I talk too much." She said.  
"You never do."

"I'm talking now!" Shinji cried out.  "Dammit Asuka!  Don't do this!  Not now!"

"Shinji!  I can't just blurt out something like this!"

"Try!"

"I can't!  I can't be like you and turn into a super-hero whenever I want!"

"I never said I was a super-hero!"

"I know!  And that's what makes it so much harder!  You don't even know how much 
you mean..."

"Why can't you be the hero?!!  I'm not stopping you!  Please!"

"I know you're not stopping me!"

"Then just SAY it!"

"WHY?  It's not like it will matter."  There was a defeated tone in her voice 
that made Shinji's heart ache.

"Yes it will!  Asuka!  Please!"

"Shinji...!  Shut up!  I can't..."

"NO!  I won't let you push me away!  Not this time!"

"WHY?!!"

"Because..."

"WHY?!?  You wanna know what I have to say?!?!  WHY?"

"BECAUSE!"

"WHY!!!?  Dammit!  All I have to say is..."

"Because!  Because..."


"I'M FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU!!!!!!!!!!"


Shinji and Asuka looked at each other with wet eyes, breathing heavily from 
their argument.  For a long time, they just looked at each other.  Neither was 
too sure if the other had said those words.  Eventually, each of them slumped 
over, hands out on a nearby wall for support, catching their collective breath.  
Asuka was first.  "Did...you just say..."

He nodded, wiping back his hair with his hand.  "I'm falling for you, Asuka." He 
said quietly.  "I have been for a long time.  I'm not even sure if I'm fully in 
love with you yet, because each day I wake up and it feels stronger than the day 
before." He sighed, looking up at her stunned face.  "You're the first thing I 
think about when I wake up, and the last thing I see when I close my eyes." He 
said softly.  "Even then, I've been dreaming about you a lot." He groaned 
slightly.  "And I can see by the look on your face I'm going to have to continue 
to do so..."

He was interrupted by Asuka running over to him and wrapping her arms around him 
so tightly that he couldn't breathe.  Shinji never complained, though.  He 
rested his head on her shoulder as she did the same.  Each of them were afraid 
to let go.  

"Baka." She said sweetly.  It came out almost like how someone would say the 
name of their lover.  "I'm falling for you too." She suddenly looked very sad.  
"I cried all day after I hit you."  Indeed, she had tears as she spoke.  "I saw 
how everyone was looking at you, and I felt like if I didn't do something, they 
were going to take you away from me." She looked up at him.  "I attacked.  I 
didn't know what else to do." Her voice cracked.  "I...Shinji...you're my sweet 
baka.  I don't want to lose you.  You're the only guy who knows who I really am.  
How I feel..."

Shinji was suddenly very aware of her heart beating against his chest as they 
shared their embrace.  It felt very nice.  So nice, in fact, that he felt his 
knees begin to get weak.  This all had to be a dream.  A horrible, sick dream to 
taunt him when he woke up.  Oh well, he thought.  May as well enjoy it.

Slowly, so slowly, did he finally begin to move his head.  Asuka's eyes widened 
slightly as she found herself doing the same thing.  Their cheeks, burning red 
and blushing, brushed up against one another.  Though their arms were still 
wrapped around each other's bodies, soon, they were looking into each other's 
eyes.

They found so much in each other's eyes.  Both had seen too much.  Suffering and 
death surrounded them, while the scraps of life that were left pleaded for their 
constant submission to those images.  Both were haunted in so many ways that 
neither would ever be fully free from those demons.  Each of them had long since 
given up being Children.  Their names mocked them in that respect.  

And yet, as they looked into each other under heavy lids, they found peace in 
their shared connection.  Something Shinji never thought he could have with 
Asuka, and something Asuka never even thought she wanted with anyone, let alone 
him.  The connection was there, however.  Undeniable and pressing their lips to 
follow their eyes' lead.  

"A...Asuka?" Shinji whispered.

"Mmm?" she could only hum a response as she blinked slowly, refocusing her eyes 
into his.  

"I..." he said.  "I know you'll probably think me a hentai for asking, but would 
you mind if..."
	
Even Cupid hadn't been expecting this kiss.  Had he a mouth to let drop to the 
floor, he would have.  Asuka was kissing Shinji.  Not only kissing him, but 
rather passionately.  Not many people truly notice the differences in kisses, 
except those who are kissing.  An observer often will never think one kind of 
kiss is any different from another.  Cupid was an expert on these matter, 
however.  

Some kisses are quick and friendly.  A kind of intimate handshake reserved for 
the best of friends and family.  Usually on the cheek, but not limited to it.  
Back in the days before the Second Impact, it was even quite commonplace to 
greet everyone with a brief, fanned kiss on each cheek.  A very happy, 
professional gesture.  Even grown men in a homophobic time would gladly perform 
two kisses to say hello to colleagues and old friends.  

Then, there were the kisses in the middle.  Ones performed with care and real 
attention.  Though there had been more emotion than usual behind Misato's kiss 
earlier that week, she kept it within those boundaries.  Warm, lasting, and 
real.  A real experience, instead of something that faded in one's mind.  That 
had been Shinji's first REAL kiss since Asuka was bored that one day.

Another kind of kiss.  Where the parties involved are testing the waters, or 
absolutely terrified.  When faced with a real life dream come true, as her lips 
came closer, Shinji had locked up that first kiss.  Asuka didn't help, keeping 
his nose plugged, but at least she hadn't stood there like a brick wall.  

Then there were the kisses like THIS one.  Where kissing, though focused on the 
lips, was not confined to just those body parts.  Where kissing became an 
embrace of the entire body.  A kind of non-sexual lovemaking...that usually lead 
to something more.  Passion took over the mental processes of worrying about 
where your lips were, where their lips were, and what had to happen next.  
Shinji, always the worry-wart, found himself blissfully ignorant of such 
thoughts as they not only kissed, but tasted each other.

She tasted spicy.  Hot.  Probably from the chicken wings, though Shinji could 
guess a lot of the taste was coming from his own mind's excitement.  Asuka was 
feeling the same thing as well.  Each of them focused only on each other.  Every 
sense and touch and breath made to heighten their connection, driving them to 
scramble for more.  

It was probably just pent up energy, Asuka figured.  Shinji couldn't have 
learned how to kiss THIS well from anyone she was aware of.  Her proud mind 
forgot to mention how new she was at this as well.  So long as Shinji wasn't 
complaining, she didn't seem to remember, though.  If someone were to ask her 
something like her name, she would have had problems remembering at the moment.  

Asuka jumped a little as she felt herself being moved against the wall, but 
didn't protest.  Not even as she felt Shinji's hands glide along her back and 
neck.  She was so scared.  Fear was always nipping at the back of this rush of 
sensation and warmth, yet it never threatened to take over.  So scared to let 
any of this go.  Now that she had it, she wanted it to stay so badly it hurt.  
Hungrily, she drank every bit of his mouth like it was the most precious liquid 
on Earth.  It was intoxicating.  Blissful.  It made her forget about all the bad 
things she had seen and done.  All of it.  It made her heart want to reach out 
and take Shinji into itself.  Wrap herself in the mighty Invincible Shinji's 
protection and enjoy his warmth.  Her hands came up to the back of his head, 
begging him not to stop.

One week ago, if Shinji had seen a couple on the side of the road kissing like 
this, he would have promptly passed out due to the massive nose-bleed the sight 
would have caused.  That thought stuck in his mind for a moment, though, and he 
realized where he was again.  His hands retracted slightly, though not 
completely, from Asuka's body, and he forced himself to pull away from the kiss.

He almost expected Asuka to be angry at the sudden stop, but she simply looked 
up at him with a glistening smile and a soft light in her eyes that almost made 
Shinji forget where he was again.  "We..." he said weakly.  "...better 
get...home..."

"Mmm..." Asuka nodded as they both caught their breath.  Her voice, though 
brief, was soft and dripped with honey.  "Okay..."

He shivered slightly as they walked.  No amount of confidence would be able to 
stop him from doing so.  Just a few...long...sweet...moments ago, he had found 
out Asuka loved him.  Not only that, but he had confessed the same.  Such new, 
uncharted territory...he felt very much like a child again.  "Asuka..." he 
asked, managing not to sound too worried.  "What now?"

She could help but smile as they walked.  Her arm was still wrapped around his 
waist and she was clinging to his arm.  "I don't know..." she said.  "And I 
don't care..."

The implications of those last words hit Shinji and he felt a nosebleed coming 
on.  Asuka leaned over and gently kissed the side of his face.  It had a calming 
effect on the young Ikari, and he was able to keep walking for the most part.  


Shinji resolved that, if needed, he could muster up enough courage to stop 
anything that went too far.  He hoped that he wasn't just kidding himself, but 
he could still feel Cupid around, and hoped that he would make sure.

"Just enjoy your evening.  I'll keep an eye on you." The voice came as they 
stepped into the elevator.  

Asuka smiled, looking around as the doors closed for the long ride up.  "You 
look very cute in this light." She whispered casually.  

He blushed slightly, but returned the smile.  "You look beautiful in any light." 
He cocked his head.  "Mmm, no, maybe not right now..."

Asuka frowned, then pinned him up against the far corner of the car.  "Oh yeah?" 
Despite the rather unconvincing scowl, she was still gorgeous.

Shinji smiled to himself.  Maybe all those months of teasing him would be good 
for something after all.  Asuka was rather fun to tease when the reward was a 
kiss instead of a smack to the head.  "I don't know..." he replied as she began 
to nibble on his ear.  "This light makes you look a little dumpy."

He yelped as she 'nibbled' a response.  "Baka!" she whispered.  "Then that is 
your punishment!  You must kiss me when I look dumpy!  Hahahhaaa!"

"Yes, your majesty." He replied happily, kissing her on the nose, then on her 
lips, gently catching her tongue and tugging on it with his mouth.  

Asuka returned the favor, and they found themselves getting deeper into the kiss 
like before.  Their mouths dueled for position, taking in each other's breath, 
but also trying to touch and massage the other, giving as much as they took.  

They were interrupted by a loud DING!  The door opened on the apartment's floor, 
and they stumbled out, still kissing.  There was nobody else on this floor, so 
they never worried about an audience.  As they got to the apartment door, 
however, they stopped.  Shinji frowned.  "What if Misato is still awake?"

Asuka, still a little intoxicated from the kiss, smiled sweetly.  "Ooh, I don't 
know.  That might be kind of kinky."

"Asuka-chan!" Shinji blushed furiously.  

She noticed this, then remembered what Misato had let slip a few days ago.  She 
blushed too.  "I...I was just kidding..." she said.  "You're right...we don't 
want to make a scene..."

Shinji nodded and relaxed noticeably.  The last thing he wanted to do was start 
making out in front of his guardian...and friend...and whatever else Misato was.  
Both Children straightened out their clothes, then wiped their mouths free of 
any extra moisture that had been...gathered...there.  Shinji tried not to look 
like he had to re-arrange his pants, but Asuka noticed.  She blushed slightly, 
but said nothing. 

He leaned over and gave her one last kiss.  "Just in case..." he promised with a 
smile.

"Shinji-kun...you are a sweet little baka..." Asuka replied with a smile.  "Or 
should I call you Iron Balls?"

Shinji grumbled something under his breath and they opened the door.  Misato was 
sleeping at the dinner table, a beer in her hand, and a tiny smile on her lips 
as she snored quietly.  Both Children were as quiet as possible as they kicked 
off their shoes and tip-toed around to the living room.  

However, just as they were about to consider themselves home-free, a loud burp 
filled the silent apartment, and Misato sat up, startling herself awake.  
"WOAH!"

Asuka and Shinji both sighed and developed large sweat drops on their heads.  

Misato finally noticed they were back.  "Oh!  Hey you two!" he yawned and rubbed 
her eyes.  "I didn't hear you come in."

"That would be the idea..." Asuka whispered, just loud enough that Shinji could 
hear her.

"You kids have fun?" Misato asked, standing up on wobbly feet so she could 
'clean' up.  "Oh, Shinji, someone named Keiko called for you.  Then some girl 
named Nami came by, but I told her that you were out."

"Oooh, Shinji the Mega-Playboy!" Asuka teased.

"Soo..." Shinji said, ignoring Asuka.  "You off to bed?"

Misato was about to nod when her jaw dropped and her hand came up to smack her 
head.  "ARGH!  I forgot about those reports!" she sighed.

Both Children sighed too.  With Misato awake, even when she was drunk, she'd 
notice anything they did.  "I'm off to bed." Asuka stated.  "Good night, 
Misato." She turned and caught Shinji's eyes.  "Goodnight, baka-kun."

Though Misato would never pick up on it, Shinji did.  The tone in her voice was 
that same, loving voice he had heard almost all of last hour.  He nodded.  
"G...night..." he replied, his voice catching in his throat as she winked and 
walked off down the hall.

Misato was already scrambling around the kitchen, filing papers and trying to 
find where she put her "freaking pencil!"  "Good night, Shinji!" she said 
quickly.  "Do you all have school tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Can you wake yourselves up on time?" Misato pleaded.  "I have a feeling I'm not 
getting to bed for a while."

"Don't worry, Misato." He smiled.  "Good night."

"Thanks, you're a sweetie." She smiled and then hunkered down to get her reports 
done.  Interrupting 'Operation Number Two' hadn't been without it's 
consequences.  "Good night."


Good Night? 

That night was pure torture.  

They had spent seven hours at NERV doing tests.  Shinji had been exhausted.  
Asuka had worn herself out just being angry for so long.  However, neither felt 
really tired after the chicken-wings.  Must be the mysterious chemicals they put 
in it.

Or, it was the fact that they could almost feel each other through the walls 
like two magnets trying to connect.  Yeah, that was probably a little closer to 
the truth.  

Cupid began to laugh as Shinji jumped out of the bed and paced around the door, 
almost opening it for the tenth time that hour.  "This isn't funny." Shinji 
replied sharply.  

"Compared to what you'd be doing a week ago, I think it is." Cupid offered.  
"You'd be huddled in the corner, listening to Sad-Sad Shinji Part 3, terrified 
at what was going on."

Shinji stopped pacing, thought about it, and nodded. 

"Now you're almost jumping out of the door." Cupid continued.  "Now, did I tell 
you I'd help you find love or didn't I?"

"That's great, Cupid.  Really great." Shinji smiled as he gently thumped his 
head against the wall.  "And now I'm going absolutely insane."

"You have got to learn how to relax." Cupid replied.  "You're only fifteen, 
remember?"

"I'll be sixteen next month." Shinji replied.  

"That's not the point." 

Shinji nodded, then opened the door.  "I don't care." 


Asuka lay, face down in her pillows.  Every ounce of her being wanted to be with 
Shinji, and she had to make a real, honest battle out of it.  "It's not like we 
have to do it tonight..." she said to herself.  "I can handle just being with 
him." She sighed, hoping it was true. 

Even then, that was tonight.  Would she still be able to prevent herself after 
there had been thirty 'tonight's?  How about a hundred?  A year?  That was three 
hundred and sixty days, and even then, they would still be underage.  Panic 
began to strike her.  This was bad...

One day, during one of those thirty, or hundred, or whatever, their kisses would 
get a little too deep.  Their hands a little too fast.  Their bodies a little 
too close.  That would be it.  One of those days, even if they were few.  Even 
if the rest were always interrupted.  One day, they would be alone, without an 
Angel to fight.  There would be no Wonder Girl to hinder their touches.  There 
would be no Misato to wake up and wonder where her charges were.  

And it wasn't going to get better, either.  Asuka had the sinking sensation that 
she was going to feel love towards Shinji Ikari for the rest of her days.   How 
could she not?  Not when she began to think of all those hidden glances he 
stole.  All those smiles and smiles returned.  The way he would act when she was 
in danger, and how he would get even worse when she tried to stop him from 
helping.  All those little touches they shared.  The way he would look so hurt 
when she was running after Kaji.  

"In two years..." she thought out loud.  "We'll be eighteen almost." Her eyes 
were wide.  "Can I wait two years?" Her eyes closed.  "Seven hundred days.  
Ugh..." it sounded even worse when she thought of it as seven hundred nights. 

Asuka Langley, though a college graduate and normally very bright, now found 
herself exhausted as she calculated those numbers in her head.  All that waiting 
was making her tired, and she finally managed to nod off to sleep.


That was about the same time that Shinji opened the door and peered inside.  He 
looked at her sleeping form and blinked.  "Oh..." he sighed, then smiled.  "Oh 
well..."

Cupid smiled to himself.  "Looks like you tired her out, Lord Iron Balls."

"Shut up." Shinji thought back.  "God...she looks beautiful." He sighed, gently 
padding his way through the door.  The only light in the room was from the 
window.  Pale moonlight made her delicate white skin look like china.  She was 
gently tucked around one of her pillows, hugging it for warmth.  

He knelt down next to her bed and gazed at her face for a moment.  She looked to 
be having a nice dream.  A smile was on her face, and she nuzzled the pillow 
every once in a while.  

"Cupid?" Shinji asked inside his head.

"Yeah?"

He sighed.  "I know it's against your rules..." he whispered out loud.  
"But...do you know what she's dreaming about?"

There was a pause.  Shinji waited patiently, however.  "I'll give you a hint." 
He finally replied. 

"Mm?"

"Do you remember your dream about how you wanted to take her on a camping trip, 
but only remembered to bring one sleeping bag so you two had to share?"

Shinji nodded, blushing.  "Oh yeah..."

Cupid chuckled.  "Well, let's just say you'll probably be a very happy camper."

He stood silently, leaning over her to kiss her cheek.  Asuka smiled and hummed 
something that could have been a word, but was lost in the throws of sleep.  

Shinji left, just as quietly.  "Thanks, Cupid."

"No problem, Shinji."
  

Morning found two very tired Children walking to school.  Shinji had been late, 
and had forgot to set his alarm.  They only had time to get quick showers and 
dress.  Shinji, fortunately, was able to focus and made their lunches while 
Asuka was in the shower.  Misato was still asleep on the kitchen table, and 
didn't seem to mind the noise.  

Either way, they both looked pretty rough, and had stayed on auto pilot through 
the morning.  They did, however, steal a quick kiss in the elevator down to 
street level.  "Now I bet I really DO look dumpy." Asuka yawned.

"Who says you didn't last night?" Shinji smiled as he received an elbow to the 
gut for his troubles.  

Shinji found Kensuke and Toji waiting for him at the front of the class where 
they usually distilled earlier on in the morning.  "You look like you've been up 
all night!" Kensuke said.  "Were you watching those H-rated Sailor Moon tapes I 
lent you again?"

"You haven't lent me any porno." Shinji frowned.  "I never asked for any."

"Oh, that's right." Kensuke nodded, then turned to Toji.  "You know, I may have 
to start collecting late charges."

Toji looked around nervously.  "Fine...I'll get em back to you today." He 
whispered.

The other two laughed.  "He wants to know how to practice for..." Kensuke waited 
for Shinji to join in. 

"Hikari!!"

They both laughed as their friend got impossibly redder.  "I swear, after I get 
done with you two, you'd WISH you tried to fondle Asuka!"

Shinji's mood literally SUCKED the energy out of the area.  He never even said 
anything...just stopped laughing.

Toji immediately regretted those words.  "I...didn't mean it, Shinji...you know 
that." He said sincerely.  "It's just habit..."

Ikari nodded and sighed, shaking his head.  "Sorry...I know it was just a joke."

There was a long pause.  "You feeling okay, Shinji?" Toji asked, noticing his 
friend's look.

"I'm fine." Shinji sighed.  "I'm just feeling a little tired.  I think I need 
more sleep."

Suddenly, a light WHAP! Sounded in the air and Kensuke was holding his head.  
Asuka stood proudly behind him.  "You stooges talking about me again?" she said 
with a smirk.

"Why would we want to talk about you?" Shinji smiled.  "When we can fantasize 
about Sailor Scouts?"

Taking cue to the sudden Iron Balls behavior, Toji smiled.  "Oooh, I never knew 
Sailor Venus could bend like that."

"Venus?" Kensuke laughed a mighty laugh.  "Jupiter could whip her any day of the 
week!" he grinned.  "And she HAS!  Oh, that was a kinky episode."

"You're all a bunch of perverts." She sighed, walking past Shinji, but not 
before giving him a quick smile.

Shinji nodded to the surprised looks of his friends.  "The secret to avoiding 
Asuka's wrath is to make her so disgusted she leaves before doing bodily harm to 
you."

"Thank you, Lord Iron Balls." Kensuke bowed respectively.  "We have seen the 
light in your wisdom!"

"My savior!" Toji added with a bow.  "Wow..."

They all began to laugh, even Shinji, who had decided to enjoy the Iron Balls 
thing while it lasted.  Oddly enough, Cupid stayed silent all morning.  Shinji 
was having too much fun to really notice, though. 

The conversation about Kensuke's plan to make a home-made N2 mine dropped off 
suddenly as someone approached.  A young woman by the name of Sonoma Keiko.  
Shinji had seen her around class for a while, as had the other boys.  She was 
quite a beauty.  Somewhere along her schooling, she had failed a grade, so she 
was a good year and a half older than most of the 'girls' in the class.  The 
results of the faster female development inherent in human DNA showed quite 
obviously.  Not only was she filled out, beautiful, and quite a prize in the 
minds of the young men of the class...but she was also one of the only people 
that even Asuka avoided conflict with.  Not that Keiko was mean or tough, but 
she was overly intelligent for the grade, and could match wits with anyone in 
the school...even some of the teachers.  Asuka only preyed on the easy targets, 
not this woman, though.

Shinji's mind struggled to remember something from last night, finally getting 
past all the kissing and touching.  Misato had told him that a girl named Keiko 
had called.  He almost fell out of his seat.  THIS Keiko?

"Hello, boys." She said sweetly.  Her voice was very...VERY...nice.  Kensuke 
found himself unable to close his mouth.  Keiko turned to Shinji.  "Hey, Shinji.  
I called last night.  You weren't home?"

Shinji found the glares from his two friends making rational thought extremely 
difficult.  "Uh, well, I didn't get home till late." He replied.  "What did you 
want to talk to me about?"  

He wondered where the hell Cupid was with backup, but decided this was a test.  
He had to get through this on his own. 

"Oh, just wanted to see what you were up to." She said, sitting down next to him 
on one of the desks.  Kensuke was drooling at this point.  Some part of his mind 
remembered to turn on his camera.  Without proof later on, he would never 
believe this was happening.  

"Don't mind Shinji." Toji smiled nervously.  "He's always busy.  You have to 
stay ready for the Angles at all times.  Very important stuff." He nudged 
Shinji.  "Right?"

"Uh, yeah." Shinji replied.


Asuka, of course, was not enjoying this.  She watched over the edge of her 
computer screen, glaring at the conversation.  Hikari watched with a raised 
eyebrow.  Asuka would cast Shinji jealous glances on occasion, but what she was 
doing now was as rare as Ayanami jumping out of her seat and yelling "I AM THE 
PUMPKIN QUEEN!"

What was more surprising was that Asuka was not muttering 'Baka Shinji' under 
her breath.  She actually TRUSTED Shinji not to be swayed by this woman?  Keiko 
was at least on par with her and Rei.  Why wasn't Asuka making a big deal about 
it?  Maybe she was putting too much faith into the jealousy thing.  Maybe it was 
just a competitive urge.  Maybe, just maybe, a protective instinct.  

"What?" Asuka asked as she finally noticed her friend's stare.  

"Are you feeling okay?" Hikari asked.  "I mean...you look like you're about 
to...I don't know...DO something..."

"Just great." She replied quickly, returning back to her glare at Keiko as she 
talked with the Three Stooges...or Shinji, as the other two drooled.  "Baka..."

Hikari sighed in relief.  At least she's back to nor...

"Baka Keiko..."

Never mind.

  
"So, Ikari..." Keiko smiled sweetly.  "I was wondering if you'd like to join me 
and my friends at the movies tonight?" she motioned over to three other, 
smiling, blushing girls.  "If you want, your friends can come too."

Shinji almost swallowed his own throat.  How that was possible, he wasn't too 
sure...but the surprise was sufficient.  

"I hear the old Godzilla 2000 is being replayed." She grinned.  Keiko had 
obviously done her homework on the Three Stooges.  "I would...love..." she 
leaned a little closer "...to hear your thoughts on the movie..."

Kensuke was about to make a mess in his pants. 

Shinji was pretty lost himself.  Finally, however, he glanced over to Asuka.  
She was looking at him with very uncertain eyes, but was actually staying at her 
desk.  "I'd love to." He said.

Keiko smiled happily.  The three friends began to giggle and discuss plans about 
Iron Balls Shinji Ikari.  

"But..." Shinji coughed.

"But?" Keiko blinked.

"But?!!?!!" Kensuke and Toji both gasped.

"But?" Asuka found herself whispering.

Shinji nodded.  "But I have a lot of things to do today." He continued.  "I 
wouldn't be able to stay too long..." he turned to Kensuke and Toji.  "But if 
you want a Godzilla commentary, these two are the men to talk to."

"Oh." Keiko said, obviously disappointed.  "Well...maybe on the weekend?" she 
smiled sweetly.  

"Maybe." Shinji lied.  The class bell rang.  "I'll have to discuss it with my 
associates here." 

"Okay." She smiled, standing back up.  "I'll talk to you later, Ikari."  She 
walked back over to her friends, one of them was waving at the group.  

"Dude!" Toji blinked.  "She's waving at you, Kensuke!!" 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
"No way..." Kensuke blinked, then waved shyly back.  

The girl blushed and smiled, hiding behind her friends as they dispersed to 
their desks.  

Shinji caught Asuka looking away, as if she had been uninterested by the whole 
encounter, but she had a small grin on her face.  Class started a few moments 
later.


Rei had been teaching Shinji how to fold the 'Eagle' style paper plane all 
morning as the sensei rattled on about his experiences on an trip to what was 
left of Antarctica.  

"The wings are very important." She whispered, letting her skillful hands glide 
over the paper, leaving exact folds in their wake.  "If they're at the wrong 
angle, the plane will stall."

Shinji smiled, watching Rei work at it.  "Where did you learn about all this?"

"From Commander Ikari..." she said.  "And I also found a book about them in the 
garbage."

Asuka, who was well within listening range, couldn't help but laugh.  "You root 
around in the garbage, Ayanami?" It wasn't nearly as cruel as her normal 
comments...in fact, it seemed to be in an almost joking tone.  

"I spotted it on my way to school." Rei replied.  "Someone had thrown away a box 
of books.  There was no other refuse."

"What other books did you find?" Asuka asked.

Rei paused.  "Instruction manuals."

Shinji blinked.  "Instruction manuals?  What for?"

Rei began to blush.  "The process of becoming One."

Asuka frowned.  "Becoming 'One'?  Like how?  Math?  Or do you mean two 
people..." her eyes widened.  

"At least, I assume they were instruction manuals." Rei continued.  "They had 
curious folds of paper in the middle that expanded to a larger picture.  And the 
beginning of the books all started with customer testimonies."

Shinji hadn't quite figured it out yet.  "Oh?  What was the product?"

"Something concerning a 'Rim Job' in one." Rei stated casually, and loud enough 
to draw gasps from the class.  "But I'm not sure I understand the context of 
'Giving Head'.  How does one remove their skull and..."

Kensuke, who was sitting behind Shinji, promptly offered his two cents worth.  
"Oh, you mean Penthouse's 2011 July special." He stated.

Everyone turned to Kensuke.  Asuka had a look of horror on her face.  "Hentai!"

"That's the one." Rei nodded.  

"CLASS!" the teacher finally interrupted.  "If you would all settle down, Lunch 
is only twenty minutes away, and you'll be able to talk all you want then."

The class sheepishly turned their eyes to the front and let the sensei continue.  

Kensuke raised an eyebrow and leaned over.  "Did you keep them?" he whispered.

There was a long pause.  Rei glanced around.  "Of course." She had a curious 
grin on her lips.  

Shinji began to type random characters on his laptop to look busy, when an 
instant message came up.  He accepted it.  


WHAT THE HELL IS A RIM JOB? 
                     -ASUKA


He almost burst out laughing...but instead, began to type a response.  


I'M SURPRISED YOU DON'T KNOW.  I THINK THE GERMANS INVENTED IT.
                                 -SHINJI


The response came soon enough.


SHEEEISSST!  I JUST LOOKED IT UP!  REI'S A PERVERT TOO!  OH WELL, AT LEAST WE 
DIDN'T INVENT TENTICAL HENTAI.  HA HAHA!
                                -ASUKA


Shinji smiled, relaxing back in his chair.  His thoughts turned back to Cupid.  
"Man, this is weird." He thought.  "Having a real conversation with Asuka...I 
could get used to this."

He waited.

And waited.

"Cupid?"

Nothing.

Shinji began to get worried.  "Cupid?  You still in there?"


That's exactly when all hell broke loose.


A bright, blue flash of light filled his mind.  Before Shinji could even figure 
out what was going on, he was screaming in pain, holding his head.  Everyone in 
the class jumped.  The sensei was about to ask what the problem was, when he saw 
that there was, indeed, a problem.  Shinji launched himself out of his desk, 
scrambling for the door, but tripped and fell over, smashing into and collapsing 
his chair. 

Asuka was terrified, but already at his side.  "SHINJI!  What's wrong!?!" she 
pleaded as the rest of the class gasped in horror.  He was beginning to 
convulse.  "Shinji!  Oh god...please don't do this!" she grabbed his shoulders, 
steadying him on the floor.  "REI!" she looked up.  "Call NERV!"

Rei nodded calmly and took out her cell.  Behind her practiced cool air, 
however, she was just as terrified.  She hadn't even pressed DIAL when the Angel 
Attack sirens began to blaze outside.  Nobody had any idea what to do.  The 
entire class just stared at Shinji, who was giving Asuka quite a run for her 
money as she tried to keep him still.  

"Students!  Get to the shelter!" the sensei finally ordered.  "NOW!" he added 
when nobody moved.  

Rei looked up from her phone.  "The Major is on her way, she's five minutes from 
here."

"That's not QUICK enough!" Asuka screamed.  She turned back to Shinji, who was 
finally calming down a bit.  "Shinji!?  Can you hear me?"

He nodded, but was still shaking.  "He's coming out..." he whispered.  "I don't 
know what to do!"

She looked around.  Most of the class still hadn't moved.  Her pleading eyes met 
only shock.  "SOMEONE DO SOMETHING!" she growled, looked down at Shinji, then 
gritted her teeth.  "Get up, Asuka..." she whispered to herself, wrapping her 
arms around Shinji's shivering body.  

Everyone watched in amazement as she lifted Shinji up into her arms and then 
began to stumble for the door.  Shinji couldn't quite believe it, either, but 
was in too much pain to voice his gratitude.  "ARGHH!  GET IT OUT!" he pleaded. 

Asuka could barely see where she was going.  Tears ran down her face and onto 
Shinji's shirt.  "Shinji...don't die on me now!" she demanded in her meanest 
voice.  "Not now, not EVER!" she gasped as sobs began.  "Promise me!"

"I..." Shinji grunted as another wave of pain slammed into his mind.  
"Asuka...please...get to NERV...if there's an Angel..."

"Wonder Girl can get it!  Spare me this 'leave me behind' sheist!" she replied, 
swallowing back some of the tears and regaining her strength.  "Baka Shinji...I 
always have to save you..."

He smiled weakly, still shivering.  "Asuka...you're beautiful when you're 
stubborn..."

"Good." She nodded.  "That explains why I'm so beautiful."

They got to the street outside just as Misato's blue sports car screeched to a 
stop in front of them.  Her eyes were wide as she saw Shinji's limp form in 
Asuka's hands.  "Oh lord..." she whispered to herself. 

"HELP ME!" Asuka yelled as she limped towards the car.  "Something's wrong with 
Shin-kun!"

Misato got out and ran to the other side of the car, opening the door.  "Drop 
him in..."

"NO!" Asuka demanded.  "I'm carrying him.  We'll fit."

She nodded.  "Fine.  Just hurry!  There's a blue pattern somewhere in the city.  
We can't pinpoint it."

"He was saying something about 'Him' coming 'out'" Asuka cried as the car 
launched forward, barely missing a phone booth.

Shinji looked dazed, and didn't offer anything more besides an occasional grunt 
of pain.  Misato said nothing, and just drove like a bat out of hell.  Bats out 
of hell would have been jealous at the speed she drove, actually.  


Ritsuko and the team of techs were already at the main Car-Train station, 
waiting for them.  A team of twenty armed guards were also waiting.  "What's 
going on?" Misato demanded.

"The blue pattern has been discovered." Ritsuko said.  Her face was grave.  
"It's inside Shinji."

"WHAT!!"

"If Shinji starts flipping out in any way, we'll have to kill him." Ritsuko 
said, slightly dazed.  "By order of the Commander..."

"I..." Shinji gasped.  Everyone jumped, thinking he was unconscious in Asuka's 
arms.  "...I need to get...Eva...Unit...One...inside...!"

The armed men all frowned. 

Ritsuko cringed.  "We can't risk it!  You could infect the whole EVA!  If you go 
inside, you could end up destroying half of NERV..."

"LET HIM IN!" Asuka screamed.  

Everyone took a step back.  Has Shinji been able to stand, he would have taken a 
step back too.  

"If you DON'T let my Shinji get into his EVA, he is going to DIE!" she cried.  
Suddenly, though, her brow crumpled up and she looked very...VERY...dangerous.  
"I will kill each and everyone of you who let that happen!"

"We CAN'T!" Ritsuko pleaded.  She was on the verge of tears herself.  "Unless we 
know the Angel can't control Unit 01, we can't risk it!"

"It's not an angel!" Shinji yelled out, voice wracked by pain.  "He's not going 
to do anything!  He just wants to go HOME!"

"Shinji!  That isn't good enough!" Ritsuko begged.  "Please forgive me!"

Shinji gazed up at Asuka with desperate eyes.  "He...just...wants to get 
out...has no...whe...where to go...can't...get...out..." he cringed horribly.  
"It's killing us!  He can't stop it!"

"Give me a gun!" Asuka demanded.

Everyone blinked. 

"I'll go inside the plug with him!" she said, trying to clear her mind.  "If 
anything happens, I'll kill him and destroy the plug."

Ritsuko was rubbing her eyes.  The blaring sirens in the background were 
automatic, and they couldn't shut them off.  "We can't risk two pilots either!  
You're just as valuable as the Evangelions."

Desperate, Asuka turned to Misato.  "Give me your gun!"

She took a step back.  "A..."

"I know you have one!  PLEASE!"

"Major!  No!" Ritsuko shook her head as Misato, also shedding tears, took her 
sidearm from her jacket and placed it in Asuka's hand. 

The guards looked very nervous, but kept their automatic rifles on safety.  

Asuka shifted Shinji to one arm and brought the gun around to her temple.  
Ritsuko shook her head.  "Asuka!  Don't!  This is crazy!"

"LET US THROUGH!" she screamed.  "Or you'll lose both pilots anyway!" her entire 
body was shaking, but she looked perfectly capable of pulling the trigger.  
After that, Unit 02 would be a very large paper-weight. 

Shinji was too stunned to move.  He watched everything through a thick layer of 
pain.  A part of him wondered if it was all a dream.  Asuka was risking her life 
to save him.  Not only that, but going against all of NERV.  

"Let them thought!" Ritsuko ordered quickly.  "Prep Unit One."

Asuka lowered the weapon, but did not relinquish it.  "Out of my WAY!" 


No time for plug-suits.  While the plug was dry-docked outside of EVA-01, Asuka 
helped him into his seat, standing on the bare capsule floor.  "Shinji...are you 
still there?" she whispered. 

He nodded weakly.  The pain seemed to be almost constant now.  He could barely 
even breathe.  

Misato and Ritsuko watched nervously from the control room as Asuka sealed the 
hatch from the inside and stood next to the main seat.  "She's ready." Misato 
whispered.

"Inserting the entry plug." Ritsuko commented as the white cylinder screwed 
itself into the spine of the giant, purple Evangelion.  "Filling with LCL."

Asuka breathed in deep as the LCL filled the pod.  Shinji hacked violently at 
first, but then relaxed as Asuka floated up next to him and pressed her hand 
against his face.  "I'm right here, baka..." she whispered.    

In her other hand was Misato's gun, though.  Asuka wondered briefly if she'd be 
able to use it on him if the time came...or if she could refrain from using it 
on herself afterwards.  This was the only way. 

He opened his eyes as the white metal walls turned into colors and rainbows and 
lights.  "A...Asuka..." he looked up at her.  "Why are you here?"

"I have to." She said.  "They wouldn't let me come in unless..." she pointed at 
the gun.

He nodded, understanding.  "I...I can hear you..." he blushed slightly.  "I can 
hear you thinking."

"I'm talking, baka." She smiled.

"Oh..." he smiled.  "No...I can hear you..."

Can you hear me?

Asuka almost jumped backwards.  "Yes..."

Images began to flood her mind.  Smiles.  Frowns.  Times on the couch, watching 
TV.  She began to recognize them as from his point of view.  Kiss.  The kisses 
they shared last night.  Him giving her a kiss on the cheek when he found her 
asleep.  "Shinji?" she blushed as she gazed into his eyes.  "These are all of 
me?"

He nodded weakly.  "I told you." He replied hazily.  "You're the first thing I 
think of when I wake up..."

"And when I dream, I dream of you..." Asuka completed the sentence.  

They smiled at each other for a moment.  Then, Shinji's eyes went wide.  "Oh 
god..." his teeth gritted together and he nearly tore the arm rests from his 
seat as the pain wracked his mind.  

"Something's coming out!" Ritsuko yelled over the intercom.  Her voice was 
ignored, though.  "Get the tank ready!"

Asuka just held Shinji in her arms as he shuddered.  "Please, Shinji...just 
relax.  Let it out." She cried.  "I love you...please don't go...not now..."

"I...love...you...too..." Shinji shuddered.  The pain was getting worse.  He 
could barely speak.  "I...want...eat...chicken-wings...with you..." he laughed 
weakly.  "I...it was...fun..."

"Everyone!  Stand by!" someone yelled through the link.  

Misato watched the screen, as the two Children huddled together.  Her own tears 
were coming just as fast now.  Her hand was wrapped around her cross.  "Please 
let them get through this..." she whispered, knowing that if Shinji died during 
this ordeal, Asuka would probably not be alive much longer.  "I'll never bad-
mouth another angel in my life...just please..." 

Pain hit Asuka as their sync ratio increased with the Eva.  For the first time, 
she could see what Shinji was going through.  Both of them began to cry out.  

There was an awful crash.  The entire Evangelion jumped from it's restraints, 
tearing pieces of the wall down with them.  It roared in pain, matching Shinji's 
desperate howls inside the plug.  

BOOM!


And then, there was nothing.


Everyone dared not to breathe as they watched Eva-01 relax and shift back into 
it's usual position.  It's eyes flickered.  

Inside, Asuka let out a long gasp as she realized the pain was gone.  The walls 
were still showing the outside, though.  They were still synced.  Panic crossed 
her mind as she realized Shinji had stopped moving.  SHE was still synced...that 
didn't mean he was too.  

"S...Shinji?" she whispered.  Her voice was heavy in the LCL.  She floated back 
away from him, looking him over.  "Shinji?  Are you okay?"

In the tiniest, weakest voice she had ever heard, came:  "What...ever..."

Her eyes went wide and she dropped the gun.  "Shinji!!"

He looked up at her with tired, but very alive eyes.  "What ever happened to 
baka?" he asked.

She was already crying.  "BAKA!  HOW DARE you make me think you were dead!" she 
yanked him out of the seat in a tight embrace.  "If you ever do that again, I'll 
KILL YOU!"

Shinji coughed as he was squeezed tightly, but had a smile on his face. 

"Sweet baka..." she whispered into his ear.


Misato had passed out on the floor, needing to catch her breath.  A tech was 
handing her tissues as she cried into them.  "Thank you..." she sighed, mentally 
exhausted.    

Ritsuko, however, looked worried.  "The EVA left a present for us.  It's in the 
holding tank..." her expression turned grave.  "The angel..."

Misato nodded, re-composing herself.  "Okay!  Launch that tank somewhere we can 
use an N2 mine on it.  We have to make sure the pilots are safe!"

"Moving the tank to the launch pad!" replied one of the techs.  


Shinji blinked.  "Oh no!"

"What is it?" Asuka asked, looking around.

"They're goinna kill him!" he gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and allowed 
his mind to connect to the Evangelion once more.  


The control room jumped as Unit 01 reached over, turned around, and grabbed the 
crane that was being hoisted into position to transport the holding tank.  It's 
boom crumpled like a tin can, warping under the mighty grip of the Evangelion's 
hands.  

"Crane malfunction!" the techies reported.

"Good observation." Misato sighed.  She ran over to the com.  "Shinji!  What's 
going on?!"

The image of Shinji and Asuka huddled together came up on the screen.  Shinji 
looked very determined.  "I can't let you kill him!  He's my friend!"

Misato had no idea how to respond to that.  

Asuka just nodded.  "Don't worry, just let us have a moment." She reached over 
to Shinji's chair and pressed a button.  The screen went blank.  


Shinji, as the Evangelion, knelt down and looked into the large metal bowl that 
had been placed on the floor.  Inside was a squished up, yet recognizable body.  
The Angel he had fought only last week.  The Angel he now knew as Cupid.  

Cupid, in Shinji's mind, seemed to be smiling.  The red creature slowly climbed 
out of the toilet.  Though battered, it seemed to be able to function.  Misato 
and Ritsuko were amazed when the tiny Angel appeared as if it WASN'T going to 
resume it's attack.  

Eva-01 held out it's hand, letting Cupid walk over onto it.  Then, it stood, 
lifting the Angel to it's face.  

Asuka watched in amazement from the plug with Shinji.  "He's...not attacking?"

"He's my friend." Shinji said.  "He's not like the others.  He was just..." a 
smile "...having fun."

Asuka frowned.  "Well tell him to play with someone else next time.  He almost 
killed you!"

The sharp eyes of Cupid gazed back at Eva's glowing, unblinking stare.  

"It's okay." Shinji smiled.

"Thanks, Shinji." Came a voice.  Asuka was startled, but realized it was the 
Angel.  

"Who are you?" she asked suddenly, hoping her sync with Shinji would let her 
talk too.

A pause.  The angel outside cocked it's head, as if to think of a response.  "I 
will let Shinji explain it to you." It said in a soothing voice.  "You may not 
understand it if I say anything."

Asuka frowned, but accepted the explanation. 

"Will I ever see you again?" Shinji asked quietly. 

"Maybe." Cupid said.  His voice was hopeful.  "This universe is full of 
surprises.  I think it would be amazing if we never crossed paths again."

Shinji nodded sadly.  Suddenly, though, he clicked on the Comm channel.  
"Misato?"

"Shinji?" she replied quickly.  "Is everything alright?"

He nodded.  "Yes, but...I need to ask a favor."

"Anything." She replied.

Asuka raised an eyebrow. 

Shinji smiled as he looked at Cupid.  "Can you play some music over the intercom 
for us?"

A long pause.  "Uh...I suppose so." Misato blinked, turning to Ritsuko, who 
nodded after a moment.  "Yeah...uh...what song?"

"Anything by Barry White." Shinji smiled.  If he didn't know better, Cupid's 
mouth-less face moved into what could be a smile as well.

Asuka laughed as 'I'm Goinna Love You' began to play in the entry plug.  Cupid's 
physical form began to move to the rhythm.  "You are a true friend, Shinji." He 
replied happily.  

The entire control room watched in amazement as the Eva and the little Angel 
perched on it's arm began to bob their heads to the lyrics.  

"It feels sooooo gooood..." came the deep voice.  "Lying here, next to me..."

Ritsuko just watched the scene with an open jaw. "This is incredible."

"Oooh baby..." the song continued.  "Give it up...Ain't no use...I can't help 
myself if I wanted to." The music began to get more excited.  "I'm hung up...no 
doubt...I'm SOOOOO in love with you...for me...there's no way out!"

By now, the Evangelion was moving in a little grove to the beat.  Asuka, though 
never being much of a fan of the slower, romantic kind of music, found herself 
liking the song more and more.  Shinji looked a lot better from a few minutes 
ago, and they were holding each other in a comfortable embrace.    

"I'm goinna love ya...love ya...love ya...more and more!  Deeper and deeper!"

As the song was finally finishing, Asuka and Shinji were caught in each other's 
eyes once more.  This fact was not lost on the Control Room, or Cupid. 
"Maybe..." Misato smiled reaching over to the com.  "We should give them a 
minute or two."

The screen blinked off.

Cupid smiled to himself as he saw the two.  "Shinji...I shall take my leave of 
you now."  He said, interrupting the two Children who turned back to the front 
of the plug. 

Shinji nodded sadly.  "I know.  If you don't go, they'll start thinking about 
nuking you."

"Exactly." Cupid replied.  "I have stories to tell my Big Brothers, so I don't 
want to wait too long." He laughed.  "They are going to be SOOOO jealous.  Barry 
White music is rare as true love where I come from."

Asuka looked at Shinji.  "Big Brothers?"

"I'll explain it all later." He promised.  

Cupid began to float, glowing red.  The Evangelion lowered it's arm.  "I'll put 
in a good word for you humans." He promised.  "And, Asuka?"

Asuka blinked.  "Y...yes?"

"Take care of my friend." Cupid said.  "I suggest you both go on a camping trip 
and do some...talking."

Both of them blushed.

"Sayonara, Cupid-san!" Shinji whispered as the Angel turned into a bright ball 
of red light and then zipped up, though the roof.

Asuka turned her attention to Shinji.  "CUPID?????"

He smiled innocently.  "We only talked.  No mind-control." He whispered.  "I 
promise."

She looked up at him with questioning eyes.  "Oh?  Are you sure?"

Shinji gently took her into his arms and closed his eyes.  She did the same.  
Their minds met half way.  Her eyes jutted open as she felt his mind, listening 
to the days of conversation with the little Angel, and what had happened.  How 
Shinji had turned down the offer for sex, how he felt towards Rei's friendship.  
How he felt after getting flattened at school, but also how he never held it 
against her.  How Shinji had expressed his desire to keep Asuka out of any 
strange manipulations...even if it meant he could never be with her.  She 
swallowed hard.  "It's the truth..." they both whispered to one another.  

She sat in his lap like that for quite some time, both just testing out their 
partial connection to each other through Unit 01.  It wasn't direct.  They only 
saw images, not full thoughts.  Both of them remembering their time together 
from the eyes of one another.  Each of them glad that, somehow, all the little 
things they wanted to keep private were never shared.  Almost as if...a mother 
was watching over them...making sure they didn't get too dirty or strange.  
After all, a little mystery is good in a relationship.    

"You know something?" Shinji said casually.

"Mm?" Asuka smiled mischievously.  "What?"

"You look very sexy in a plug-suit..." he mentioned as she drew herself closer.  
"Ever wonder what it would be like to make-out in LCL?  It would be very..."

"Slippery..." Asuka whispered.  Her finger came up to his lips and slid across 
them easily with LCL around everything.  "Mmm..."

Shinji nodded. 

"Warm." She continued, leaning over to kiss him.

"Oh yeah..."

"Wet..." she pressed herself up against his chest.  

"Mm mm..." he said weakly.  "Ever wonder about it?"

Asuka smiled.  "All the time."


"Is it just me?" Ritsuko frowned, squinting her eyes.  "Or is the Evangelion 
getting a nose-bleed???"

Misato blushed.  "I think we'd better get them out now."
 

There was a nervous tension the next day at School.  Nobody had heard from any 
of the Eva pilots since the horrifying events from the previous day.  When 
Shinji and Asuka walked into the class, they were greeted with a collective sigh  
of relief.  

Asuka loved the attention, of course.  "Ha!  I'm a trained professional!  Not 
like you children, I actually know what to do in an emergency!" 

Shinji was greeted with the most hardy "Iron Balls" chanting yet.  The sensei 
even joined in for a while.  Toji and Kensuke each gave Shinji a warm welcome 
back hug, and demanded to know what happened.  

As for Cupid, the event was to be classified up the wah-zoo, because of the 
implications it would cause if the public knew there was ACTUALLY a cherub of 
love floating around.  Not to mention it would probably change the public's 
views on the Angels, and the last thing NERV wanted was a lobbyist group 
supporting Angel Rights.  Shinji just told everyone that it had been Misato's 
cooking.

Nobody thought he was lying. 

With sixteenth birthdays approaching rapidly, both Shinji and Asuka decided to 
wait at least that long until they tried out their fantasy involving the plug-
suits.  It was still going to be torture, but the figured that they owed poor 
Misato and their other guardians at least that much time before things got too 
serious.  

Rei was absolutely giddy to have both of them back.  She even smiled for one 
point three seconds as they walked in, causing massive brain damage in the 
surrounding students who hadn't been expecting such a display of emotion. 

Still, Shinji and Asuka had to stay at the hospital for observation that night.  
In separate rooms.  Their pacing around almost wore holes in the floor.  It was 
hard to sleep when you wanted to grab a bucket of LCL and play 'slip-n-slide' 
with one another.  They both, again, looked rather tired.

As class was about to start again, after Lunch, they sat, half awake at their 
desks.  

Everything seemed normal.

Of course, there was a loose end that had to be tied up.  Keiko decided that it 
would be a wonderful time to steal the desk in front of Shinji's, and see how he 
was doing.  

"Hey." She said in her amazingly smooth, sultry voice.

His brain woke up enough and he smiled.  "Oh, hey."

"How are you doing?" she asked, genuinely concerned.

"Good." Shinji promised.  "Just needed to get something out of my system." He 
hiccuped.  

She smiled.  "That's great." She leaned a little closer to him.  "Listen, I want 
to celebrate your safe return." She developed a slight blush.  "How about if I 
take you out on a date.  Just the two of us."

He blinked.  "A date??"

She nodded.  "I've wanted to for a while..." she admitted.  "And well...I was 
really worried about you yesterday.  I kept wishing I got to know you 
sooner...and..."

Someone coughed.  

No, not just someone.  It was an official, grade A, Asuka Langley cough.   Keiko 
sighed, half-expecting one of her little attention-getting stunts.  "Excuse me?"

Asuka glared down at them.  "Oh, I'm sorry." She stated in a tone that proved 
exactly the opposite.

Keiko nodded.  "If you don't mind...I'm having a private discussion with Ikari."

The redhead crossed her arms.  "Well, you'll just have to tell that to NERV.  I 
have a bit of very important business to discuss with PILOT Ikari." She said in 
her most regal sounding voice.  

The older girl frowned.  "Official business?"

"It will only take a moment...then I can let you get back to flirting with this 
perverted baka." Asuka said angerly.  "Fine by you?"

Keiko got slightly redder in the face, but shrugged.  "Fine."

Shinji stood and frowned.  "What is it?" he asked, wondering if there was indeed 
something important on her mind.

Her hand came up and grabbed his collar.  However, instead of shaking him around 
like she used to do, she pulled him into an embrace.  Their lips met instantly 
and they began to kiss. Their mouths parted slightly after a moment, and each 
let out a very deep, content sigh. 

Jaws dropped.

If Kensuke hadn't already been taping the encounter, he would have forgotten to 
press the record button.

Rei even blinked in genuine surprise.  

Not only did they begin to kiss...but they were STILL kissing.  Very tenderly.  
The world around them was gone except for this kiss.  Though Shinji's mind was 
fogged over with desire for this beautiful young woman in his arms, he couldn't 
help but feel the smile of Cupid somewhere above.    

Finally, they parted, leaving each other in a soft, wet sound.  Shinji flopped 
back down to his seat, completely dazed, and not due to any sleep depravation.  
Asuka's blissful smile quickly changed into her mask of a tough and unyielding 
scowl.  "And don't you forget it, Third Child!" she scolded, then walked back 
over to her seat, ignoring the stares of the entire class.  

"Oh...kay..." Shinji replied happily.  "I'll keep that in mind."

Keiko was blushing furiously as he turned back to her.  

"I'm sorry...were you saying something?" Shinji asked, honestly not remembering.

"Uh...no...that's okay." She stood and walked back over to her side of the 
class, trying to hide her red face.  

Asuka just kept smiling, focusing her attention at the front of the class as 
Shinji gazed at her from a desk away.  "You know..." she thought to herself.  
"As weird as it sounds..." She laughed as Kensuke and Toji began to chant again.  
"I could get used to this."


End?


Somewhere, not too far away from the school that was having to call in security 
to stop the "Lord Iron Balls" chanting, Misato sat on one end of the kitchen 
table, looking at a shot-glass full of a caramel-colored liquid.  

"Ready?" she asked.

On the opposite end of the table sat a brightly colored, semi-tropical penguin.  
Though there are only a few species of penguin that ACTUALLY live in cold 
weather, this penguin was adapted to Tokyo-3's summer-weather almost 
exclusively.  In his extendable claws was a similar shot-glass, filled with the 
same liquid.  

"Wuaaagh." Pen-Pen replied with a nod.  

"One two three!" they both slammed back their glasses, swallowing as quickly as 
they could, then cringing at the taste.  

"Wu-AAAAAAGH!" Pen-Pen whooped.  Once he managed to make sure the alcohol was 
going to stay down, he gestured to Misato with his other flipper.

"My turn still?" Misato sighed.  "Fine." A smile crossed her lips.  "Well, I 
accidentally..."

"Wuaaagh!" Pen-Pen laughed.

"Okay okay..." Misato coughed, pouring herself and the penguin another shot.  
"...anyway, then, Shinji managed to find some frankfurters for dinner, and I 
couldn't stop thinking about it..." she dipped her finger into the little glass 
and cleaned the drop or two of whiskey that lay at the bottom with it.  "Man, 
that was a rough night being all alone."

"Wuaaagh!!!" Pen-Pen gasped, then chuckled.  

"Yeah, okaaay, that was pretty baaaaaad." She replied, slightly buzzed.  A smile 
crossed her lips.  "Why don't you ask me about my feelings for Ritsuko instead?  
Ready?"

"Wuaaagh!"

They both tilted their respective glasses back and downed the hard liquor.  That 
action was finished by another round of loud whooping.  

"Wuaaagh?"

"Yes, your turn." Misato hiccuped...she had just barely managed to beat Pen-Pen 
to the draw with that shot.

The penguin nodded.  "Wuaaagh...wuaaagh." He paused.  "Wuaaagh!  Wuaaagh 
wuaaagh!" he grinned slightly, in the way that only a penguin can.  
"Wuaaaaaaaaaaagh!"

Misato promptly blushed.  "Asuka?!?  Did she even notice you?"

Pen-Pen shook his head.

"Whoah..." Misato tilted her glass and toasted him.  "Must have been quite a 
view."

"Wu...aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh..." Pen-Pen agreed.  


End??


Deep within the protected, spooky bowels of NERV HQ, there was a small desk in 
at the center of the most guarded and hard to reach room in the entire complex 
of Central Dogma.  In event of an attack, was probably the hardest place to get 
to in the entire building, let alone pacify.  Strange, orange light filled the 
room, illuminating the massive etching of the Athanasius Kirchner Sephirotic 
System that spanned across the entire floor. 

Ikari Gendo sat next to his desk, seated on his chair.  This was how he always 
sat at his desk.  Not like those hippies upstairs with their legs crossed or 
their arms behind their heads in a relaxing manor.

Gendo sat with his elbows on the desk.  His feet straight, in an ergonomically 
approved fashion.  His gloved hands were crossed in front of his lips as he 
glared into space ahead of him.  His tiny, tinted sunglasses reflected little 
flashes of light at random intervals, in no way dependent of his actual physical 
movement whatsoever.  

This was the Gendo Position, TM.

He used the Gendo Position (registered patent numbers 2910192928-99930 and 
22941830-18383) whenever he was plotting and planning his great plots and plans.  

Today, he was plotting a great plot, and hatching a plan of amazing skill and 
infallibility.   This one plan could mean the unhappy demise of everyone on a 
continent of his choice, in order to increase funding for NERV.  

However...one thing was stopping him.  It wasn't a very well known piece of 
information.  Rather just a little variable that his plan had not counted on, 
and therefore, could cause major problems with.  It had only come to his 
attention in the last few days.  Perhaps it was just a rumor, and perhaps it was 
just whispers and folklore.  However, Gendo did not believe in coincidences, and 
this mysterious "Lord Iron Balls" had begun to show up on his reports at the 
exact moment he started to plan his horrible plan.

The references were vague, but already, had such force and conviction behind 
those simple, three words.  Perhaps it was a secret code?  Or a NERV resistance?  
Maybe a SEELE group that had branched off.  

Whatever this "Lord Iron Balls" was, though, it was enough of a concern to make 
Gendo scrap his Evil Plan.  "Oh well." He sighed, relaxing from the Gendo 
Position.  "Maybe tomorrow."

He stood from his desk and grabbed his coat, not forgetting to shut off the 
lights before he went home.


The End...I promise.  ^_^


The Canadian Dietary Supplement Committee has required a detailed description of 
this fanfiction's nutritional contents, as according to Maximum Daily Allowances

WAFF (Warm and Fuzzy Feelings) ********************* %30
Romance (Passion, True Love) *********************** %45
Action (Explosions, blood) ************************* %18
Angst (Oooh, the poor characters! ARGH!) *********** %82
OOC (Out of Characterness) ************************* %75
H (HENTAI SHINJI!!! <smack>) *********************** %15
Violence (smack, ouch!) **************************** %50
Original Content (how much didn't I swipe?)********* %96
SeriesFuck (Ignoring ACTUAL timeline & plot)******** %85
Weirdness (As if NGE wasn't weird enough) ********** %4702900002

INGREDIENTS:  100% Pure ASCII text, Tears, Shot-Drinking Penguins, Dookie-jokes, 
Shinji's new Backbone, Lord Iron Balls, Wonder Girl, Sound Effects, People 
Freaking Out, More People Freaking Out, Chicken Wings, Jolt Cola, Ambient 
Electronica BGM, Cherubim, Barry White's greatest hits, biodegradable plastic 
diapers, 11 Herbs & Spices.

Special thanks to the city of Bumfuck Idaho, who we did NOT film this Fanfic in, 
but liked the name so much, we had to include it in the credits.

Elephant effects by MoronGraphicx INC.  Monkey Assassinations courtesy of the 
Penguin Self Defense Force.  Guy In Background played by Rick Tubkicaovskivich 
McGreggorick.  Tokyo 3 sets built by Miss's Sholdtz's 3rd Grader Class with a 
grant from United Balsa-Wood and Pipe-Cleaner.

No angels were eaten in the filming of this Fanfic...only nibbled on...I swear!

Well, okay...just one or two.  

But damn!  Don't they taste heavenly?  

 
Strike Fiss, Ninja Crowbotics 1999, Khattam Shud-EOF