Manga - Addicts Presents:
Red Rose, White Day
An Evangelion Fanfiction
Version 2 - 03/13/2001
***

Neon Genesis Evangelion created by, registered, and copyrighted to GAINAX Project EVA, Movic, and any other company and/or division associated with
the creation and/or production of Neon Genesis Evangelion. A.D.Vision
holds the copyrights to the English version of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
This work of fiction is not intended for any commercial purposes but was created for the entertainment of the Author and Fans of Neon Genesis Evangelion.

No copyright infringement was in any way intended.

Red Rose, White Day written by Jino Turtlegod

WAFF Warning! Discontinuity Warning! OOC Warning! All Standard Non-Lemon Warnings Apply!

***

Part One: Red Rose of Frustration

Shinji Ikari, a young Japanese teenager with dark hair and dark blue eyes, sat at the kitchen table trying to catch up with the lessons he had missed due to his extra-curricular activities. Misato Katsuragi, his roommate and guardian, had once cheerfully lectured him on the importance of study and had then proceeded to give vague threats about what would happen if she received any more notes from the school about his poor performance. Shinji, being rather timid, had crumbled like a piece of chalk under a hammer and immediately applied himself to his studies. But today, Shinji felt distracted as he tried to do his Physics homework.

The whole flat was rather warm and muggy due to the eternal summer of Japan, a state that had been in effect since the turn of the century fifteen years before. However, it isn't the weather that is distracted the boy. He glanced at the girl who sat across him, he tried hard not to seem like he was looking at her. Asuka Langley Soryu. She of the golden-red hair, the clear blue eyes, and the mercurial personality.

It had been months since the need for them to live together had passed. They no longer needed to train to move and think as one, or what Misato called "Synchronization Training". During that one week of intense training Shinji had often despaired of ever understanding the girl. She would belittle him, kick him, order him around, and compete for everything from the TV to the bathroom. Thankfully by the end of the week they managed to read each other like a book and they performed quite beyond what Misato had expected, their synchronicity was perfect- one mind with two bodies. And for a while it was quite thrilling, each felt what it truly meant to be alive.

After that, both gave a sigh of relief that they won't live with each other anymore. Which makes Shinji wonder why they still lived together. It was logical for Asuka to be the one to leave since Misato took him in first and Asuka had complained that she didn't like staying with such an immature pair of roommates.

The flat would be very quiet and peaceful once the noisy girl goes. There wouldn't be anymore bullying, one less person to clean up after, one less person to serve, one less person to worry about.

But would he really want her to leave?

He took in her features, the way the light filtered through her hair as she hunched over at her place at the table as she pored over her textbooks. The way her fingers, delicate yet strong, gripped her pen as she carefully shaped the Kanji of her notes. He watched her give an irritated exhalation and then slump forward on the table, her head rested on several textbooks. His eyes briefly wandered lower and saw the creamy white skin revealed by the way her yellow shirt hang from her body as she lay on her homework. He could see the white fabric of the top of her bra as she pushed herself up back into a sitting position, the sight of which increased the temperature on his side of the room. His eyes were back at his textbooks by the time she finally sat up straight.

"I'm bored." She exclaimed gruffly. The statement had the immediate effect of making Shinji sit bolt upright his knuckles turned white as he gripped the edge of his book. Those words echoed in his mind, dredging up memories that left him confused and embarrassed.

"You can go out once you've finished your homework!" Misato yelled from the living room where she was trying to drink her pet penguin under the table as they watched the news. She had to practice for later when she goes out with her unofficial boyfriend, Kaji.

"Oh, come on! It's a Sunday! I've got to go to church!"

"You're an atheist!" came the witty reply through the door behind Asuka.

Asuka said something in German that sounded very nasty. Shinji knew better than to try and smooth things out between his roommates. Chances were that he'll draw all the fire instead of quenching it. Shinji looked up as he felt her eyes on him. Big mistake...

"Say something, damn it! She can't do this to us!"

The boy gave an inward sigh- so much for staying out of it. "We are a little behind the others you know."

"Damn it! I knew a wuss like you would take her side! She practically has you on a leash you know!" Asuka glared at him in disgust.

"I can help you with your Kanji if you want," he offered with a shy smile. He flinched as he belatedly realized the mistake at his bid to be nice to the girl. Asuka did not like any indication that she couldn't handle something on her own, and worse that she should accept help from someone she had publicly declared as her inferior.

He watched in fascinated terror as he noticed the familiar signs of Asuka about to go ballistic. The grim set of her fine jaw, the slight flaring of her nostrils, the sudden flare of her fiery blue eyes, the crease on her forehead as she frowned, and most importantly, the angry tic on her forehead above her left eye. In a way, he found it cute... too bad he wasn't about to tell her that. She stood up so fast her chair flew back and hit the wall. She opened her mouth to say things that she knew would cut Shinji deeper than any physical wound but Shinji surprised her by doing something the both of them never knew that Shinji would actually do.

He stood up at the same time she did, his chair smacked into the counter behind him at the same time hers hit the wall. For a drawn-out moment their eyes locked onto each other. Two souls looking for kindness and acceptance, melded with each other, one as blue as the sea, the other as blue as the sky. They both felt the synchronicity once more flowing between them - their hearts, bodies, and souls moving as one. Then Shinji made his move, still in the preternatural speed with which things were happening. He leaned forward on the table towards her. The anger in her eyes briefly turned into something which vaguely registered in his mind as hope. Then he vaulted over the table using physical strength and agility he didn't knew he had and then he was by her side only several inches away from touching her... and he ran out of the kitchen into his room.

Asuka blinked. Shinji had actually ran away, he dropped any sign of an orderly retreat, threw away whatever small amount of dignity he had as he made his escape.

Asuka Langley Soryu was not pleased.

***

"-iece of shit! Coward! Pathetic little boy!"

"You should shut up now Asuka," Misato suggested as she watched the girl in amusement at the same time feeling pity for the boy. Asuka had finished her usual repertoire of insults and had just settled on shouting profanity at the boy's closed door. "He's probably not even listening to you, he does own an SDAT player you know."

Asuka looked at her guardian and saw the wisdom in her argument. She glared at the closed door and the whole flat was plunged into thankful silence. She wasn't about to cross the border of his room and she knew he knew it. It was some sort of unspoken agreement between them that the other would not go into the other's room without permission. She really wanted to tear the door apart so she could tear *him* apart. But she couldn't make herself cross the line. Her eyes fell on the heart-shaped frame hanging on his door.

A crash, the sound of breaking glass. Asuka smirked in satisfaction as the frame exploded into a shower of broken plastic and glass against his door after she threw it. Misato stood up quickly, bumped the coffee table which turned over and spilled beer and empty cans onto the floor, her mouth open in indignation. She felt anger since it was her gift to Shinji that Asuka just ruined.

They were both surprised as the door suddenly slid open and Shinji stood at the threshold, it meant Shinji had been standing behind it all this time and took Asuka's verbal abuse behind the dubious protection of the thin piece of wood. He looked down at the broken frame and scattered glass. He bent down slowly, still in shock, and picked up the piece of cardboard on which Misato had written "Shin-chan's Lovely Suite".

"So, you finally came out. If you weren't such a coward I wouldn't have-"

The sound of flesh hitting flesh. Asuka slammed against the wall, she and Misato looked in amazement at Shinji whose hand was still raised from slapping Asuka. Asuka quickly regained her composure as she finally registered the aching warmth spreading on her left cheek and she gingerly touched it with her left hand.

"Why you-" her eyes blazed in fury.

"SHUT UP!" Shinji roared at her. "I've never done anything to you and you kept pushing me around! So what if I'm a pathetic little boy?! At least I'm not a messed up bitch like you!"

"Wha-?!" Asuka pulled back in surprise the fury in her eyes melted before his. Misato was frozen by the uncharacteristic outburst from the usually unassuming boy.

"Shut up, I'm not done yet! I cook for you! I clean up after you! I do your laundry! What do I get in thanks?! You kept telling me how pathetic I am! Not even a 'Thank you Shinji' or a 'Good job Shinji'! You keep hitting me on the head for things you consider stupid! So I'm not as smart as you! So I haven't graduated from college at fourteen! The only reason I'm still alive is because I'm lucky not because I'm good!" Asuka saw the tears slide down his cheek. Misato wanted to rush over to the boy and hold him in her arms, but she knew he had to get these things off his chest before he could accept kindness.

"You're the better pilot! You're the smarter student! You're the most popular person at school! I- I'm just Shinji, stupid Shinji..." his voice finally broke and he retreated into the sanctuary of his room, the door slammed shut behind him.

Asuka felt sick. She picked up the cardboard and saw the wet drops on them. The wetness of tears. Shinji had been crying because of her. Well, he was really weak. Only weak, pathetic people cried. Asuka felt angry with Shinji, but also at herself.

***

Shinji sat huddled on his bed, his back against the wall where his bed was flushed into a corner. His arms wrapped around knees which were pulled up to his chest. The tears were drying on his cheeks. How stupid could he be?

Asuka was still on his mind. He thought he liked her. More than a roommate, more than a co-worker, more than a classmate, more than a friend. But that was it, she was a roommate, a co-worker, and a classmate. But a friend? With a friend like her...

Misato's voice broke into his cloud of depression as she requested permission to enter.

"Go away." He said, withdrawing farther into himself.

The door opened and Misato came in with the first-aid kit.

"I said go away."

Misato silently sat beside him on the bed and pulled his leg making him fall on his back.

"Misato!" the young boy protested, struggling to return to his seat.

"Shut up." Misato said it in such a way that "or else" didn't need to be said. Shinji shut up and lay still as Misato began to dress his foot which he finally noticed was cut from the broken glass.

"Thank you." Shinji whispered. Misato had been so good to him, like the mother he never knew, the older sister that he never knew he wanted.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"If you're wondering, Asuka went over to sleep at Hikari's."

Shinji just nodded in acknowledgement.

"That was something I thought I'll never see..." Misato mused out aloud as she checked the dressing, finally satisfied that it was perfect for her Shin-chan.

"I- I guess I got too angry..."

"Well, that's what happens when you keep a lot of your feelings bottled up. I guess that's why you're so good at piloting EVA, it's just one very big stress ball for you, something to get all that negative energy out of your system."

Shinji blinked. "I've never thought of that."

The doorbell rang. "It's probably Kaji. Are you sure you're all right? I could, y'know..." Misato gave a vague wave.

The young boy gave a wan smile. "I'll be OK. Go out, you know you deserve it, Misato-san."

"Well, only if you're sure."

"Don't worry about me."

"OK." Misato left the room. Shinji heard her say good-bye to Pen-pen then the sound of the front door as it closed behind her.

Shinji sighed as he settled more comfortably in his bed. He looked over at the calendar pinned on his wall. Tomorrow would be another boring day trying to get around without being embarrassed around Asuka. He was still uneasy around her because of what happened several weeks ago. They had kissed. His first kiss. He really couldn't describe how he felt during the kiss since he had been too nervous and was struggling for air since she had pinched his nose shut, but afterwards after he had regained his breath he felt like he liked it. But that feeling lasted only for a moment as she shattered his frail ego by saying that she thought it was a disgusting mistake and then went to clean her mouth.

Shinji held up his hand against the light. He had slapped her. He really felt guilty about doing that, he didn't mean to... but man, did it feel good.

***
"Oh, wow, you're one sick puppy." Hikari commented as she bandaged Asuka's cheek. They were in the living room of Hikari's house. A sweet smell wafted in from the kitchen.

"It's not like that," Asuka groused, hoping that Shinji's slap wouldn't leave a bruise. For someone so weak looking like Shinji, he really could hit hard when he wanted to.

"But you said-"

"I said I was proud that I made him stand up for himself. I didn't say I liked getting slapped."

"So there's a difference?" The first-aid kit gave a snap as Hikari closed the lid.

"Look, I told you that Shinji has a side of him that I like - the side that's a hero, the side that's more manly than even Kaji. The side of him that jumped into a volcano to save me! The side of him that can stand up to an Angel and rip it apart! That's the side that I like, not the pathetic little boy that he keeps showing people. That's why I tease him, I keep pushing him. Because that's the only time that he could show his true self. I refuse to fall for the little boy! I want the man!" Asuka stood with one foot on the coffee table and a trembling fist held before her as if defying the whole world to prove her wrong.

Hikari looked at Asuka, wondering if her friend was due for a psychological check-up any time soon. "Um, how come you're so sure that the little boy isn't his true self?"

Asuka glared at Hikari because she really couldn't answer that one. "I'm not overly criticizing you for liking the monkey am I?"

"He's not a monkey! And yes you do criticize me! And - oh! That reminds me..." Hikari left her friend and went into the kitchen where her sisters were cooking. Asuka followed and watched as the Horaki girls poured chocolate into molds.

"What's that for?" Asuka asked as she pulled up a chair.

"Tomorrow's Valentine's Day." Little Nozomi said as she finished filling a large heart shaped mold.

"So?"

"Well, unlike in other countries, Japanese girls are supposed to give chocolate to the boys they like during Valentine's day." The elder Kodama replied by the stove where she was stirred a large pot.

"I think I've read about that somewhere..." Asuka thought that it was a stupid tradition, but she kept her opinion to herself.

"And if the boy likes you too, they'll return the favor on White Day!" Nozomi cried out, her hands clutched together and hearts in her eyes.

"So are you giving anyone chocolate tomorrow?" Kodama asked the silent Asuka. "We know Hikari here's giving someone a special batch, and so's the Squirt," she jerked a thumb at the hyperactive Nozomi.

"No, not really." Asuka mumbled.

"She prefers slapping her boy silly instead of giving him sweets," Hikari quipped, earning her another glare from the redhead.

"Oh, you're into that S&M thing," Nozomi said, her eyes as big as saucers in amazement. Hikari, Kodama, and Asuka wondered where the twelve-year old learned the word.

Kodama shook her head and sighed like an older woman giving a lecture to a young girl. "One catches more flies with honey rather than vinegar."

Asuka stared at the older girl, what the hell did she know about her Shinji? "So who will you be giving chocolates to," she countered.

"Ah, well, all the boys in my class are really cute so they'll all get some. Then I just wait and see who will give me chocolates on White Day and pick from them."

The younger girls looked at Kodama as if they were seeing her for the first time.

"That's ---" Nozomi was at a loss of words at her sister's scheming.

"Well, y'know 'One catches more flies with honey rather than vinegar'." Kodama began giggling in embarrassment.

***

"Good Morning, Misato-san!" Toji and Kensuke poked their head into the apartment while an embarrassed Shinji stood aside, wondering why he bothered staying friends with these two.

"Good morning boys," Misato's hand waved from the corner to the living room.

The boys sobbed in happiness. Shinji just grimaced and then pushed his friends out of his house. "We're going," he shouted over his shoulder.

"Bye, Misato-san!" Toji and Kensuke chorused before Shinji managed to throw them out.

"Really, I don't know whether you guys hang out with me only because of Misato," Shinji complained as they walked down the tree lined avenues of Tokyo-3.

"Hey! We've been friends for what? Six- seven months, right?" Toji got Shinji into a headlock while still walking. "No, it's not because of Misato that we hang out with you-"

"Though it's a nice bonus," Kensuke cut in as he rummaged in his bag for his video camera.

"Yeah..." Toji held a far away look in his eyes for a moment. A gagging noise reminded him of the boy he held in his arm. "But any way, the reason we hang out with you is..." Toji blinked- he had forgotten what he was supposed to say.

"Because we're all in the same boat," Kensuke filled in as he started filming.

"Yeah, that's it!" Toji had a fist up to his chest and cried manly tears. "It's a bond of brotherhood!"

"GAH!" Shinji finally got Toji's arm off as they got the school in sight. The boy rubbed his neck, "Well, thanks, I think."

Toji and Shinji bumped into Kensuke who had stopped in his tracks. The Three Stooges landed in an undignified heap.

"Hey! Why'd ya stop?" Toji complained from where he lay on top of the pile.

"L-look!" Kensuke pointed with one hand while the other still held the camcorder to his eye. All three boys looked at the school where a lot of girls were busy running around giving packages to boys.

"What's going on?" Toji drawled as he dusted himself off.

"Valentine's Day," Shinji answered in a tired voice as he picked himself up and led the way to the foot lockers to get his school shoes.

"So expecting any Valentine's chocolate?" Toji asked as Kensuke gathered blackmail material on different students.

"Probably the same as last year," Kensuke answered as he changed the disc in his camera. "Some chocolate from the girls who feel sorry about the boys who don't get any."

"Yeah, that's why I hate Valentine's." Shinji said as he unlocked his locker. He shook his head to keep the sad memories at bay- the heartbreak he felt that time when he was twelve and liked that girl-

"What?! You mean the Invincible Shinji doesn't get chocolate by the dozen?" Asuka stood by the stairs leading up to the classrooms, her hands on her hips and her usual smirk on her face which still had a bandage on the left cheek. Toji and Kensuke froze while Shinji just stiffened a little before continuing what he was doing. Asuka became angry at being ignored.

"Um, Toji, Kensuke, these are for you," Hikari interrupted the awkward silence by giving the two boys their chocolate. Kensuke noted that his package was smaller and raised an eyebrow at Toji as if to say "See?".

"Um, Shinji-kun," Hikari held out the package, careful not to get in the way of Asuka's death glare.

"Thank you, Horaki-san," Shinji bowed as he accepted the gift. He felt a little better when Asuka stormed out of the locker room. He reached in for his shoes and found a letter. He looked around and then quickly stuffed the letter into his school bag when no one was looking.

***

It was the end of the school day. Shinji, Kensuke, and Toji sat in a circle around Shinji's desk.

Toji whistled in amazement. They stared at the pile of chocolates that sat on Shinji's desk.

"Not only from our year but also from the First and Third years," Kensuke stated in admiration. "Um, Shinji?"

"Yeah, you guys can have some if you want." Shinji replied in a dazed voice. He had really been shocked by the day's events since he had never received so much chocolate during all the Valentine's he had before as he had that day. Girls had kept coming during the breaks and trying to flirt with him with limited success as his timidity came to the fore.

"Thanks!" Toji and Kensuke got some of the store-bought kind leaving the homemade chocolate alone since those were specifically made for Shinji and they didn't want to ruin their karma by taking something not meant for them. Shinji looked down at the pile left on his desk after the pillaging; it was still too large to fit inside his bag.

***

Shinji walked alone towards the temple wearing his blue under-shirt, his bag strapped over a shoulder while one hand held his school shirt which he had used to wrap up the rest of the chocolate. He had read the anonymous letter during the lunch break. It was a handwritten note, each stroke of the kanji carefully penned, asking him to go to the temple after school.

Shinji looked up the stairs. He had thought of not going but the fact that someone had given him a letter that he never thought he would receive in his life was sort of a boost to his self-confidence.

He took a deep breath. "I won't run away."

He took the first step.

***

Shinji was panting as he finally reached the top of the stairs. "I've got to exercise more," he told himself as he sat down on the topmost step.

"ikari-kun."

Shinji sat up straight. He felt the familiar presence before he even heard her voice. Without even turning around, "Ayanami."

"you came here." Shinji's heart jumped to his throat, he couldn't believe it would be Rei- it's so unlike her. He stood up and turned, looking closely at her. She stood at the top of the stairs and he stood on a lower step which meant that he had to look up at her. For a moment he felt disappointed but also glad, at least he knew her.

"Ah, so-"

"i am supposed to give this to you," She took something from her bag and handed it to Shinji. Shinji took the thing, a huge box of chocolate which was not wrapped up in fancy wrapping paper - one of the popular kind given by the richer girls to their boyfriends. The fact that Shinji knew about that fact meant that he did pay attention to things like these.

Shinji looked at Rei. "Why didn't you give it to me at school?"

Rei closed her eyes in thought. She opened her eyes and spoke, "because i was not sure i should."

"What do you mean?"

She looked at him, her red eyes searching in his blue eyes. He felt uncomfortable when she leaned towards him until their faces were merely inches apart. She blinked. And then she smiled, making Shinji feel a whole lot better. Her smile was like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.

She sat down on the steps and he did the same. They both looked at the setting sun.

"ikari-kun, i care for you." Shinji's heart stopped, Rei had actually expressed feelings and to him of all people. She pressed both her hands to her heart. "my heart feels strange when i am with you, whenever you are hurt, whenever you are sad, whenever you are happy, i feel those too. ikari-kun, we are bonded."

Shinji blushed, feeling that what she said was true.

"you should not blush, ikari-kun." She glanced sideways at him. "because what we feel for each other is not the kind of feeling that you feel for someone else. that is why i did not give it to you then."

Shinji froze, his eyes widening. Did she know? He looked at her, shocked that she was looking at him with that intense soul-searching stare. He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Why did you give it to me now?"

Rei blinked. She looked at the stars coming out. "i do not really know. but it feels right. the word love has many meanings."

She stood up and dusted off her skirt. "ikari-kun, why did you come here?"

Shinji blinked. "Wha-?! I came because of the letter you gave me."

"... i did not give you a letter, though it does not matter. i am glad that you did come. good bye, ikari-kun."

"Ayana--- Rei! Wait!" Shinji gathered his things and rushed after her. "Thanks, for, talking to me."

"it was a..." she paused to find the word. "it was a pleasure."

"Rei. You spoke more words than I've ever heard you speak before," he commented in embarrassed amazement.

Rei nodded. "because i did not feel the need to talk." As she walked off, Shinji could swear that he saw her smile again and that made him smile too.

The bundle of chocolate fell on the stone steps from his suddenly numb fingers. "If she didn't write the letter..."

***

Asuka stood in the darkened room. She took deep breaths as she tried not to cry. She was in front of a waste basket, her hands tightly gripped a neatly wrapped package, wrinkling the edges of the box.

She had been beaten. Beaten by a doll.

She looked down at the box of chocolates that the Horaki girls had persuaded her to make. She looked back at the wastebasket. Her breathing was loud in the still silence.

***

"I'm home!" Shinji cried out as he entered the apartment, "not that anyone's here except for the bird..." he added to himself. Misato would probably still be out drinking with Kaji, and Asuka -

"Welcome home," Asuka replied from the kitchen. Her tone was far from happy.

Shinji looked back at the front door, calculating if he could outrun the redhead. Shinji wanted to run away but he was hungry and didn't feel like running away again. With a resigned sigh, he kicked off his sneakers and went to his doom. He could at least plead for a last meal before she killed him.

Asuka sat at the kitchen table as she picked at her microwave dinner with her chopsticks. She looked up when he came in and then returned to tormenting her dinner.

"Why didn't you cook anything else?" Shinji asked as he opened the fridge.

She glared at him and then jerked her head towards the schedule Misato had drawn up. It was Shinji's turn to cook dinner. She didn't even wait for Shinji's apology before she left the table in a huff.

Shinji felt guilty as he cooked the steak and mashed potatoes he had prepared before going to school that morning. Tonight's dinner was supposed to be his apology to Asuka and he forgot all about it. Well, it's still not too late yet.

***

"Go away." Asuka said as Shinji called her to dinner. She lay on her side on the bed, her fingers gripped her pillows. She felt so hungry since she hadn't eaten lunch because it was her turn to make the lunchboxes, an impossible task since the lunchboxes were in the apartment and she didn't return until after classes ended for the day. The only thing that made her feel better was that Shinji was probably as hungry as she was. What made her feel worse was that Shinji was probably as hungry as she was.

"Soryu, you are pathetic." Asuka gave up the tough girl act as her stomach rumbled at the smell of steak and potatoes. Finally, Shinji cooked something that wasn't Japanese and there was no way she was going to miss it. Even if she had to endure the torture of his presence. She opened the door and saw the tray with her food on it. She knelt down and opened the folded note Shinji had left with the food.

The note had only one word on it: "Sorry".

"Stupid Shinji," Asuka whispered as she tucked the note into her pocket and brought the tray into her room.

***

"Well, that went well," Shinji thought as he changed into his sleeping clothes. He was setting out his clothes for the next day when he saw the box on his desk. He touched the box, his fingers noting the wrinkles on the box's surface were strong fingers had crushed it.

"Happy Valentine's, Shinji," he whispered to himself.

***

Part Two: White Day of Beginnings

Asuka woke up to the sunshine streaming into her room. She stretched the kinks out of her body. She groaned as she remembered that it was Misato's turn to cook breakfast. That woman's cooking was a crime against humanity, she groused to herself. Asuka opened her door a little and looked out to see if she could sneak out and escape the abomination Misato calls food.

She looked straight at Shinji who was about to knock on her door.

"Asuka- I- I've cooked breakfast." Shinji looked away.

"But it's Misato's turn..."

"Do you really want to eat Misato's cooking?" Shinji looked back at her in shock.

"I wasn't aware it's called cooking," she cracked a smile and they shared a small laugh.

"Then let's eat. Besides Misato's still out of it. She just came in several hours ago."

Asuka watched him turn away and the smile dropped from her face. It was almost a week since Valentine's day, and every moment she spent with Shinji had been torture.

She still saw the time at the temple in her mind. Asuka had been on her way up when she noticed that Rei and Shinji standing at the top of the stairs to the temple. She had quickly jumped off the stairs and hid behind a nearby tree. She planned on waiting for Rei to go away before approaching. But the unexpected happened and she watched in horror as Rei leaned in to kiss Shinji. That time, Asuka knew what real fear was and she ran away.

Asuka sighed as she shook her head to clear her thoughts and then followed Shinji into the kitchen.

***

During History, she found herself staring at him while the teacher droned on about the same boring story. How many times had her eyes wandered to rest on him? She used to say to herself that it was because he sat in a direct line to the window but she knew she was just lying to herself. Every day for the past week she had watched him, she had already burned into her mind every angle of his face and body. She knew how his eyes would glaze over as he became bored. She knew about the sardonic smile on his face whenever Kensuke and Toji talked to him about girls. She knew about how he would sigh as he opened his lunchbox, as if the break took off a heavy burden from his shoulders. She knew that he would unconsciously clench and unclench his right hand whenever he was agitated, as if undecided whether to punch something or not.

All her furtive observation finally made her realize how nice he really was. He would do all the chores when she and Misato forgot to do them. He always made sure her lunchbox had more viands than rice when it was his turn to make them. He would always know when she needed a drink and toss her a can of juice or soda. He always did nice things in his own understated way, too subtle to be noticeable by most people. He never carried her stuff, never offered to do things for her, and he never, ever called her "Asuka-chan".

***

Asuka sat behind some bushes by the temple as she finished off her lunchbox, her brows furrowed. In the days that she had spent watching the object of her affection, she had taken note of the additional things she didn't like; of the girls looking appreciatively at him and giving him cat-calls during PE; the way he flushed red whenever a girl talks to him; how he will prop his chin up on his hand as he looked at that doll by the window whenever he got bored...

Asuka's hand shook at the thought of the doll. She wanted to be the one to make Shinji smile. She wanted to be the one who would lift up his spirits during the long, grueling day. And most of all, she wanted to be the one he would look at when he needed cheering up.

There was a snapping sound. Asuka looked down at her chopsticks. "Damn."

"Here," Hikari gave an amused snort as she handed Asuka a metal fork. Hikari was doing her homework while Asuka kept her company. Or at least that was what Asuka would say if someone asked them what they were doing hiding behind the bushes. Hikari would have given another answer. She would have loved to be somewhere else at the moment but the bonds of friendship were too strong.

"This is boring!" Asuka observed as she shoveled more food into her mouth. She looked through the leaves and saw them still sitting side by side on the temple's steps as they gazed out at the mountains. "They're not even talking! Well, it figures since they're the two dullest people I know!"

"So, you like the strong, silent type, with the tendency of going on mad destructive rampages while piloting gigantic weapons of mass-destruction," Hikari commented sarcastically as she did some calculations on her notes. Her sarcasm was wasted on Asuka who was too busy watching Shinji.

"Damn it! What does he see in her? I'm prettier, more popular, a better conversationalist, and I know how to have a good time!"

"Humble too..." Hikari mumbled. With a frown, Hikari replaced her stuff into her bag. "Asuka, we've been spying on them for the past few days and they haven't done anything. In my opinion they're not really an item as you would make it out to be."

"Do you really think so?" Asuka tried to keep the hopeful tone from her voice.

"Really! Rei kissing Shinji? I don't really see her doing that. Or vice-versa for that matter."

"Then why do they keep meeting here after school?"

"I don't know! They probably want to start a nature appreciation club or something! Look, if you're so desperate to know about him why don't you talk to him?! It's better than spying on him and dragging you're best friend away from her love life. Toji's bound to be finished cleaning up the classroom by now- I'm going back."

"But..."

"No 'Buts', Ms. Soryu," Hikari admonished, "Talk to him!" Hikari stalked off, leaving a flustered Asuka behind.

***

"Is she still there?" Shinji asked as he watched the red sunset color the mountains.

"yes. however class representative horaki has left." Shinji didn't ask how she knew without even taking a look. Rei knew a lot of things and he didn't want to seem to pry.

"I wonder why she keeps spying on me," the boy asked in an annoyed tone.

"specifically for the reason you think."

Shinji felt the warmth in his cheeks and tried not to turn his head towards the bushes which Asuka hid behind.

***

"Shit. I should learn to read lips. What did she say to make him blush?" Asuka pondered as she angrily stabbed a piece of squid.

***

"Huh?!" Asuka brilliantly expounded as she sat at the kitchen table waiting for dinner. She had spent a miserable afternoon spying on a boy from behind a bush and alone at that since her very own best friend deserted her for some monkey who pretended to be human.

"I said it was a beautiful sunset," Shinji repeated as he checked the pot simmering on the burner, his back towards her.

"I didn't notice, I was- uh- busy doing my homework- with- uh, what's her name? - Hikari." Asuka cursed as she stumbled over her words. She glared at the boy's back. Why did he have to make her feel this way?! "So, what are we having? It smells delicious."

"Buffalo wings," Shinji proudly announced as he opened the oven. "Aoba-san gave me the recipe when he found out I liked to cook."

"And what will we be having with it?" Asuka's mouth watered at the spicy smell. One of Shinji's strengths is that he's a damned fine cook.

"Spaghetti with meat sauce," the boy answered as he placed the platter of chicken on the table and began to fuss over the pasta.

Asuka looked down at the food, feeling the desire to cry in happiness. He cooked for her, she had been badgering him earlier about cooking something special like what he did during Valentine's day a couple of weeks ago, and he actually did. She watched him drain the spaghetti and she briefly wondered if he would be closing the lights, lighting up the candles, and popping the cork of the champagne bottle at any moment. She sighed, even if he didn't do those things, only one more thing would make this perfect...

"Oh! Shin-chan that smells good!" Misato entered the kitchen in her usual cheery way.

"Well, that killed the mood," Asuka thought to herself, scowling at Misato, the one thing that ruined her perfect dinner with Shinji.

"Shinji, you really outdid yourself," Misato praised as she rummaged in the beer fridge. She returned to the table with a bottle of champagne and started to pour it out into their glasses.

"Misato! I'm under age!" Shinji complained as he set down the spaghetti.

"Oh, come on, Shinji! It's only one glass!" Asuka took her glass and took a sip. "See? It's not even as strong as beer!"

"But-"

"Or are you scared?" Asuka smirked at the predictable reaction as Shinji automatically went on the defensive. By this time Misato had already tuned out their squabbling and had began eating.

"I'M NOT!" Shinji sat stiffly on his chair and glared at Asuka. Calm down Shinji, he thought to himself. She's baiting you and you're falling for it.

"Then prove it," she purred as she held out her glass to him. Damn, he's cute when he's frustrated, she thought to herself.

"All right then," he reached out and grabbed her glass. For a moment their hands touched. He looked down at the glass, his hand slightly trembled.

"Well?" she purred. Shinji gulped, he didn't know whether he hated it or loved it whenever she did that. He steeled himself, glared at her, and then downed the whole glass.

"oh my..." Asuka and Misato gasped.

***

"I can't believe his tolerance was that low," Asuka grumbled as Misato laid Shinji on his bed.

"Well, I think he never even sneaked drinks when he was younger, so he never built up a tolerance." Misato took off the boy's socks.

"He's just a wuss," Asuka sniffed in disgust, crossing her arms. She blinked as she noticed that Misato was unbuttoning his shirt. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"I'm changing his clothes," Misato deadpanned.

"But he's a boy!" Asuka stamped her feet.

"So? He's got nothing I haven't seen before." Misato pushed Shinji on his side to take off his shirt, leaving him in his pants and undershirt.

"Wha-?! You mean..." Asuka swallowed as Misato began undoing Shinji's belt.

"Yup. Very first day he was here." Misato suppressed a giggle at the memory of Shinji's panic stricken face as he ran out of the bath after seeing Pen-pen for the first time. "Besides, from what I gather from Ritsuko, you've seen him butt-naked before."

"That's different." Asuka mumbled, not believing how hot her face felt. She did saw him naked before and at the same time he also saw her. But it was different since it was during a test for the mechanical monsters they piloted. Besides when she had glanced sideways at him as they and Rei walked naked down the corridor to board their entry plugs she only got a peek and that wasn't enough to satisfy her curiosity... Asuka felt hot, wondering if the heater went on the fritz again. "It was purely professional."

"Then why are you blushing?!" Misato needled as she pulled down Shinji's pants.

"I AM NOT!" Asuka screamed in frustration. She covered her eyes with her hands and turned away as she saw Shinji's boxers.

"Wha-?!" Shinji muttered sleepily as he rubbed his eyes and both females looked at him. Everyone blinked in surprise. Shinji turned an interesting shade of red as he noted one of Misato's hands on his pants which were down by his knees.

"oh my..." Asuka and Misato gasped.

***

Shinji was seething mad as he walked under the trees that lined Tokyo-3's streets. This has probably been the worst day of his life. He glared over his shoulder at the person responsible.

Asuka tried to suppress a giggle. "I'm so sorry Shinji, but it was so funny!"

"You didn't have to tell it to the whole school," he growled back. The fact that he had passed out after one glass of champagne was embarrassing. The fact that a woman twice his age had been changing his clothes while a girl his age was watching was very embarrassing. The fact that when he woke up in the middle of getting his clothes changed and had a natural reaction was sufficient cause for suicide. The fact that the school grapevine got wind of it and blew it out of proportion was the world coming to an end. Toji, Kensuke, and a whole mess of boys had been begging him for details while the girls kept whispering while looking at him. Hikari had to browbeat everyone into submission for disrupting the class and worse she blamed Shinji for being a pervert.

"Did you really think we were going to... y'know?" Asuka can't help but tease the young boy. She could see his ears redden from where she stood behind him.

Shinji fumed silently, trying to ignore the desire to strangle the girl. He turned when he heard Asuka shout his name. "What is it this time?" he growled.

"You went past the temple," Asuka pointed out the gates about half a block behind them.

"I'm not going to the temple." He began walking away.

"But... You've been going there for weeks and-" Asuka covered her mouth.

"You could go there and sit behind a bush if you want." Shinji gave a dismissive wave as if he was shooing away a particularly irritating pest.

"What?!" Asuka had a horrified expression on her face. Did he know?

"Do you really think I or Rei wouldn't notice you?" he retorted as he continued on his way.

Asuka felt her face go red, she had underestimated them and made a fool of herself. "But won't Rei be waiting for you?"

"She told me yesterday that she had something to do. Don't ask me what it is since I didn't ask her."

"Who told you I was interested in whatever Wonder Girl is doing?" Of course Asuka was wondering, but to admit that Shinji had read her like a book would have been embarrassing. However, having Shinji's angry face inches away from her was another thing she never even considered. "Wha-?!"

"Her NAME is REI. DON'T call her Wonder Girl," Shinji growled, he could take being abused but to have somebody else he cares for badmouthed was something he couldn't take. He was so angry he didn't even notice that he had grabbed Asuka's arm.

Asuka was scared. She could see the determination, the anger, the steel resolve in his eyes. She had unleashed his true self and she found that she was afraid of it being directed against her with all of its fury. He wasn't standing up for himself as she wanted but he was protecting someone else. Asuka wanted to cry - he was protecting someone who wasn't her.

"Let me go!" She cried out and broke free from his grasp. They looked at each other standing several meters apart. Shinji's right hand was clenching and unclenching in its usual way whenever he was really worked up. Asuka rubbed her arm where there were bruises on her white skin.

"So, you do like her," she accused him.

"Yes, I do. I like her a lot." Shinji felt the words coming naturally since they were what were in his heart. She felt daggers in her heart at his words.

"More than..." She swore at herself for faltering. "More than you like me?"

Shinji was expecting that, but it still hit like an EVA's fist. Well, no running away this time. "You don't make it easy to like you, Asuka."

She felt her heart breaking. "So, you don't like me." She looked up and saw his blue eyes looking calmly at her, but she saw it, the hint of guilt in those eyes. She really wanted to... "FINE! I HATE YOU, SHINJI IKARI!!!" she screamed then she rushed blindly past him as she tried to keep her tears from coming.

"Asuka-" He watched as she fell down on the street after tripping by the gutter. In a moment he was by her side.

"Get away from me!" she pushed him away and immediately felt the pain course up her leg. She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, trying to ignore the pain and desire to cry. She opened an eye as she felt his warm hands pull down her sock and gently probe her ankle.

"It's not broken, but you should keep off it for a while." Shinji made an effort not to look at her face as he rolled her sock back up. "Here," Shinji helped her up, one hand gently held her shoulder while the other supported her waist.

"Shinji..." She gritted her teeth as she stood up on one leg.

"We could call NERV and-"

"NO! I'll be fine. I won't have anyone say that I can't handle a small thing like a sprain without calling for back-up!"

Shinji smiled, at least she was back to normal. "Do we walk or do we call a cab?"

"Walk." Asuka immediately supplied, there's no way a sprained ankle is going to make her look weak in front of this boy. She immediately regretted it as she tested her sprained ankle.

"Are you sure?" Shinji didn't like the way she winced.

"Positive." Asuka swore at her stubbornness.

Shinji just gave a wry smile. She could just admit that she can't take it but, no, she had to stand by her decision, no matter how rashly she had made it. It's one of the things that fascinate him about her, but it sometimes also infuriated him.

"What?" Asuka exclaimed as Shinji knelt with his back to her.

"I'll give you a piggy back ride." He saw the refusal forming on her lips and he didn't feel like a long, drawn out lecture on how he was inferior to her for suggesting that she needed help. He looked at her, the soft boyish features left him as he emitted an aura of strength. "And I won't take no for an answer."

Asuka felt like melting as she looked into his eyes. His true self, the self-sacrificing hero, had come out for her, to protect and care for her. "You better not tell anyone about this," she growled as she climbed on his back.

Shinji almost gasped out as he felt her soft body against his back. He had never carried anyone before and didn't know what to expect, and most certainly he didn't expect to feel the soft curves of her body against him to be so uncomfortable in such a nice way. He was blushing as he linked his hands under her bottom.

"Shinji," Asuka whispered into his ear as she wrapped her hands around his neck and gripped the sides of his body with her knees.

"Hmm?" was the only coherent word that came out of his lips. Asuka's hot breath on his ear was something that he never thought could be so sexy.

"You better not be having hentai thoughts." Asuka giggled mischievously as she felt his skin become hot, the pulse on his neck throbbed with a frenetic pace.

"I- I'm not!"

"What?! Most boys would die to get me this close to them?! Are you sure you're not thinking hentai thoughts?" Asuka used her uninjured leg to brush the front of his pants.

"Asuka!" Shinji cried out, his fingers reflexively tried to clench into fists, instead they unintentionally dug into her rump. He relaxed his fingers after hearing Asuka gasp in surprise. His face felt hot and he wanted to die from shame.

"J-just checking," Asuka joked lamely as she tried to bury her flushed face on his shoulder. She didn't have to say that he was lying.

They were both silent for a while, trying to keep their hormones under control. A summer breeze rustled the leaves of the trees that lined the street. They mostly had the whole street to themselves, the few people that met them just thought how the two teens made a good couple. By the time they reached their street, Shinji had to stop at a park to rest his back and arms. He stopped at a bench that faced the street and gently eased a sleeping Asuka down on the bench. Asuka mumbled something as he laid her down. He knelt on the pavement and gently pushed back strands of her red hair from her face. He looked at her lips, slightly parted and moist. His heart was pounding as he felt his body lean towards her and he soon found himself a few centimeters from her, her warm breath caressed his cheek. Shinji pushed away, gasping hard at what he had nearly done. Deciding she was too much of a temptation, he turned his back to her and sat down on the pavement.

"Shinji? Where are we?"

He turned towards her and felt guilty as she rubbed her eyes and straightened her clothes. "Asuka, I-"

She stopped him with a finger to his lips. He looked into her eyes and saw a gentleness he had never seen there before. "I know."

Shinji frowned. "How long have you been awake?"

She blushed. "Ten minutes?"

"What! You cheat!"

"You tried to kiss me!"

"... Why is this conversation so familiar?" They laughed as they remembered their victory together- the product of their synchronization training. After a while they watched as the sun touched the mountain tops.

"Shinji?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you so kind to me?"

"I think because it's my nature."

"So I'm not special. You're just kind to everybody." She looked really disappointed.

He thought he shouldn't answer that. "Asuka?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you so mean to me?"

"It's a long story."

"... I have the time."

She smiled gently at him, not her usual smirk or her happy grin, but a real intimate smile. "I'll tell you. But not today. Someday when I'm ready."

"... I'll keep you to that." He stood up and knelt before her. Without a question, she climbed on his back and rested her head on his shoulder. They went up to their building, the red glow of the setting sun bathed everything in a pink light.

***

Asuka hummed as she and Shinji climbed the stairs to the temple. It was after school and Shinji had invited her to the temple with him. He was going to play his cello for Rei who had confessed she had no appreciation for music.

"Are you sure she wouldn't mind?"

"There's very little that she actually minds." Shinji replied as he stopped to catch his breath. He was holding his cello case in one hand and Asuka's violin case in the other.

"Are you sure you don't mind," Asuka motioned to her violin, she had been surprised that Shinji had offered to carry it for her since she usually had to prompt him on the way a gentleman is supposed to act.

"It's all right," Shinji smiled at her. That was another thing that Asuka noticed. He smiled a lot more often these past few days.

"Shinji, you said you liked her a lot... does that mean..."

"No. It's not like that. I like her, but not in the same way that Toji and Hikari like each other."

"So, you're just friends?"

"... Yes. I guess I'm the first friend she ever had."

"I guess she's a very lucky girl to have you as a friend then," Asuka wanted to jump for joy. He finally dispelled any remaining suspicions in her mind. But then Asuka remembered seeing them kiss and her heart faltered. They came to the top of the stairs, Rei wasn't in sight.

Shinji proceeded as if there was nothing wrong and started tuning his instrument while he sat on the steps of the shrine.

"She's not here?" Asuka observed as she tuned her own instrument.

"Yes, she is," Shinji replied as he began playing something to get into the mood.

"How'd you know?"

"We share a bond."

Asuka frowned at this. "A bond?"

"Yes." Shinji closed his eyes, allowing the soothing hum of the cello suffuse his body. "She's inside, praying."

"Wonder Girl prays?" Asuka winced at the scratching screech of the cello. Shinji was glaring at her. "I'm sorry, I meant Rei."

"i do believe in god, pilot soryu," Asuka jumped as Rei appeared at her elbow.

"How do you do that?!" she screeched at the girl with blue hair.

"do what?"

Shinji had began playing again, ignoring the conversation. Rei had been the one to suggest that perhaps Pilot Soryu would prefer to sit with them instead of at her usual place behind the bushes.

"Appear just like that!"

Rei didn't answer but her eyes seemed to say "does not everybody?"

"I don't know why I bother talking to you," Asuka huffed as she tucked the violin under her chin and waited for the right moment to join in with Shinji.

"because you want to bond."

"WHAT?!" Asuka cried out and Shinji glared at her again. She was amazed that Shinji didn't miss a chord. She bowed to Shinji, "Sorry."

Asuka stood up and dragged Rei away so they could talk without interrupting Shinji. They stopped at the top of the temple stairway. "What do you mean?!"

Rei cocked her head. "you bother talking because you want to feel human."

"Look, Wo-" Asuka paused as she felt Shinji's glare from across the courtyard, "Rei, I am human."

Asuka drew back as Rei invaded her private space until they were just inches apart, Rei's red eyes searching in her blue eyes. "Get back, you- you perv!"

Rei drew back. "i understand now."

"Wha-?!" Asuka felt weak-kneed, she felt as if Rei had looked right into her soul and stripped away all the walls she had put up in the past ten years. Asuka didn't like the feeling that she had been judged and found lacking. She sat down on the stairs before she could fall down and hurt herself.

"humans draw away from pain even if it is good for them. they fear pain, fighting it, trying to escape it."

Asuka stared at Rei. This was a lot more words than she was accustomed to hear from Rei.

"your bond with someone caused you pain. you fear that pain would come again if you bond with others, thus you push others away." Rei sits down besides Asuka and looks out at Tokyo-3. "yet a part of you desires the bond. that is the reason behind your actions towards ikari-kun."

Asuka gave a short laugh. "So you think I've got the hots for Shinji?! He's just a boy I live with! I just decided that it would be for the best if we got along together."

Asuka felt Rei stare at her with those cold, indifferent, red eyes of hers, and she resisted the urge to shiver. Asuka felt relieved when Rei finally shifted her gaze away from her.

"the greatest lie is the one we tell ourselves," Rei quoted as she stood up and went back to the shrine to listen more closely to Shinji.

Asuka drew her knees together and rested her chin on them, her eyes focused on the lengthening shadows engulfing Tokyo-3 as the sun sets.

***

Asuka didn't go with Shinji to the temple that afternoon. The red head gazed out the kitchen window as she waited, an open can of orange juice was held in her hands, forgotten as she lost herself in thought. She had been doing a lot of thinking after her strange conversation with Rei. Was it that obvious to everyone? That she, the Great Asuka Langley Soryu, had a nasty experience that she would rather not repeat. Was it that obvious to everyone that Shinji was the person she was taking a risk with. More importantly, if someone so dense and indifferent like Rei had picked up on it, does it mean that he did too?

Asuka shivered at the thought of Shinji laughing at her expense when her back was turned. He probably knew and he just let her fumble her way around him because he found it an ego boost to have someone superior to him get so flustered. He was just probably stringing her along while--- a loud pop and the wet trickle over her hands alerted Asuka to the fact that she had squeezed the can too hard. With a frustrated exhalation Asuka threw the can into the sink to drain and looked down at the orange pool at her feet. Asuka watched in fascination as a red drop hit the pool, the crimson mixed in with the orange. Asuka held up her hands and noticed with a sense of detachment that her finger was cut from the ruptured can.

"Asuka!" She heard a boy call out her name followed by the sound of something heavy falling onto the kitchen table. She felt him pull her towards the sink and the cool sensation of water on her cut.

She blinked. Shinji was holding her hand under the faucet, his fingers gently bled the wound clean. Asuka cried out as the stinging cut finally registered. Shinji turned off the faucet and noted that the bleeding had stopped.

"I'll go get you a band-aid," he said as he went out of the kitchen.

Asuka muttered various swear words under her breath while she held her injured finger and inspected the grocery bag Shinji had dropped on the table. Uncooked chocolate, molds of different shapes and sizes, and other ingredients and items for making homemade chocolate. Asuka briefly wondered what he was planning when she suddenly turned and checked the date on the calendar Misato had put up beside the phone.

"Tomorrow's-"

"Here, give me your hand," Shinji said as he unwrapped the band-aid as he walked back in. Asuka meekly held out her hand and Shinji treated the wound.

"You're making chocolate?" She asked as Shinji arranged his grocery on the kitchen counter.

"Yeah, White Day. There were about ninety girls who gave me chocolate on Valentine's, I want to say thanks," Shinji pulled out a list from his shirt pocket. "Add to that Misato, Doctor Akagi, and Maya-san..."

Asuka grabbed the list and scanned it, noting with disappointment that her name wasn't on it. "You can't possible make chocolate for ninety-three people and make tonight's dinner."

Shinji turned stiffly, a horrified look on his face. "D-dinner?"

"Don't tell me you forgot, baka-Shinji," Asuka mock-glared at the boy. She felt better after putting him down, he deserved it for forgetting about her.

"Asuka-san, could you, you know... please?" Shinji pleaded with a hopeful expression. A part of his brain registered that this was the first time she called him baka-Shinji in almost a month.

Asuka really, really wanted to turn him down but Kodama's words echoed through her mind, 'you catch more flies with honey...', hmm... Asuka thought, maybe there is a way to get the count up to ninety-four...

"Just because I don't want you asking Misato to cook..." Shinji's face looked relieved until Asuka got his apron out and started putting it on. Asuka saw the look of complaint on Shinji's face before he turned back to sorting out his ingredients.

Soon, the smell of sausages (Asuka refused to cook anything more elaborate) and chocolate filled the air. They cooked in silence, Asuka tried hard to make Shinji notice that she was displeased with him without actually antagonizing him as she usually did. Shinji for his part, knew Asuka was displeased with him and since he didn't know why and the fact that she was keeping unusually quiet, he didn't want to say anything that may spark her off.

Asuka moodily stabbed at a sausage with the cooking fork. He wasn't even interested enough to ask her what was wrong! She glanced sideways and her eyes became as big as saucers as she watched Shinji slowly unbutton his school shirt.
She found herself mesmerized as his hands undid the buttons, her throat became dry as he finally made the motion to remove the shirt from his body. She felt let down as she saw the blue undershirt he always wore.

"Damn it, Asuka! What are you thinking?! You're sinking down to the pervert's level!" she scolded herself.

"Um, Asuka-san?"

"WHAT?!" she snapped at Shinji who, to his credit, failed to cringe in terror.

"The sausages are burning," he coldly replied as he returned to cooking.

***

Asuka lay on her side on her bed, looking out at the night sky filled with dim stars.

Shinji virtually ignored her after the sausage burning. She had watched guiltily as he ate the burnt meat so that it won't go to waste. She knew he was very annoyed with her with the way he frowned and remained silent as he ate the burnt sausages with rice that was unevenly cooked. She wanted to impress him with her simple cooking skills but she had messed up, not only by ruining dinner but by losing her temper. And for once, it was all her fault!

Asuka pulled herself into a fetal position.

Shinji had quickly finished dinner before continuing his cooking in silence. Asuka watched him as she did the dishes, waiting for the moment to apologize. When Shinji had finished pouring a batch into the molds he looked up at her, his eyes silently asked what she wanted.

Asuka shivered, her hands tore into her pillow.

When he looked at her with those dark blue eyes of his, she had turned away and walked out of the kitchen. She had ran away from confronting the Invincible Shinji.

"Soryu, you're pathetic," she whispered to herself as a tear slid down her cheek.

***

"'morning," Asuka mumbled as she went into the kitchen, her eyes were still a bit puffy from crying most of the night away.

"Good morning, Asuka-chan!" Misato raised her beer can in salute. Needless to say, Misato's day was off to a fine start. Asuka turned away from Misato, feeling hate for morning people everywhere, and trudged towards her usual seat. She suddenly stopped as she noticed Shinji looking at her with cold indifference.

"Good morning," Shinji greeted with a forced smile as he stood up and started putting away his dishes. He didn't even bother to wait for her reply as he gathered two paper bags from the counter and went out of the kitchen. "I'm going," he called back before Misato and Asuka heard the front door close behind him.

Asuka flopped down on her chair as Misato eyed her coolly. "Alright, Asuka-chan, what the hell's been happening?"

"... Nothing." The young girl began filling her bowl with rice. Misato watched as she ate disconsolately. They both perked up as they heard the front door open and the familiar patter of Shinji's feet.

"Sorry," the boy greeted, a genuine smile on his flushed face. He rummaged through one of the bags and gave Misato a small paper bundle tied with a yellow ribbon.

Misato untied the bow and the bundle opened up like a blooming flower. Three large pieces of chocolate lay in a nest of wax paper. Asuka gripped her chopsticks as she looked longingly at the bundle in Misato's palm. Misato beamed at the boy, "You do know that it's improper to hit on your guardian, don't you?"

"Consider it payback for all the times you've hit on me," the boy replied, the two females stared at him with their eyes wide. He grinned and then turned around, "Well, I'm off again."

"... Well, it does seem that my little boy's growing up," Misato sniffed playfully before beginning to nibble on a piece of chocolate. She noted that Asuka seemed to have been petrified, her chopsticks broken in her hand, Shinji had left without giving her any chocolate. Well, Misato thought, what goes around, comes around. "Asuka-chan, you're going to be late."

Asuka looked at her and Misato felt a wave of pity at the defeated, haunted look in the young girl's eyes. "Oh, yeah, I'm off then," Asuka muttered as she went to gather her stuff.

Asuka approached the school apprehensively. She became painfully aware that most of the student body was composed of girls, giggling school girls to be exact. She noted that most of them were deliriously happy, and that she, Asuka Langley Soryu, was part of the dejected, heartbroken minority.

"- he gave you some?" an older girl said to her friend as Asuka passed them.

"Yes, he's really so cute, I think I'll keep it for a while before I eat it," the other girl replied as she held up a bundle that made Asuka's heart stop. It was one of Shinji's. Asuka hurried to the locker room not wanting to torture herself anymore.

"- you kissed him?!" a girl cried out from a huddle of first year girls. Asuka could see a blushing pretty girl in the middle.

"J-just on the cheek! Eep!!!" the blushing girl cried out, looking directly at Asuka. The girls looked at Asuka and immediately lowered their voices.

Asuka sniffed in indignation as she opened her locker, she really couldn't care less about their silly crushes to eavesdrop on them. She sighed as she unlocked her locker, it used to be full of letters from boys during the first few months that she came here, but since then the boys had drifted away as it finally became clear that Asuka was just a tease. These days she was lucky if she had one or two letters from boys. Asuka opened her locker and saw a small envelope propped against her school shoes. Asuka sighed as she took the letter in her hands.

"SHINJI-SAMA!!!" the huddle of first-year girls squealed as Shinji entered the locker room, Shinji favored them with a smile and the girls squealed some more and the pretty girl in the middle blushed harder. The letter crumpled in Asuka's hand. She looked at Shinji who was ignoring her and at the blushing pretty girl. She saw Shinji pass the girls, greeting the pretty freshman by name. Asuka angrily pocketed the crumpled letter and stalked off to her homeroom.

"Asuka!" Hikari hurried over to the red head, her face flushed, giddy with excitement. A bouquet of red roses was held in Hikari's arms. "Look at what he gave me!" Hikari took out a silver pendant from around her neck. Asuka didn't need to ask who gave Hikari the pendant as she could plainly see Toji being teased by Kensuke who had his camera out taping Toji's reaction.

"That's nice," Asuka replied automatically as she scanned the room. She froze as Rei entered with a familiar bundle held almost reverently in her hands, a puzzled look on her face. Asuka stared at Rei who sat down in her usual place and intently stared at the bundle of chocolates that Shinji had given her.

"Oh, Rei's got one too," Hikari smiled as she watched Rei. "Shinji's really nice to everybody today."

"What?! You mean Shinji gave you one?" Asuka looked at Hikari in amazement.

"Yes." Hikari beamed at her friend. "But I bet you got more than I did."

Asuka scowled at the top of her desk.

"oh." Hikari muttered in embarrassment. "er- I think I'll go check on Toji." Hikari immediately went to rescue Toji from Kensuke and to escape Asuka's wrath.

Asuka watched as Rei took a piece of chocolate, looked at it as if she had never seen one before, and then she took a small, dainty bite. A small smile slowly formed in Rei's face which was enough to shock the redhead. Asuka watched hungrily as Rei carefully ate the chocolate, savoring the rich, sweet flavor.

"Yo! Shinji!" Toji yelled, pushing away Kensuke and his camera. Asuka looked up, disappointed at the boy's pep. Shinji's face was still flushed from various encounters with the female population of the school.

"Hey! Toji! Kensuke!" Shinji waved happily to his friends but suddenly stopped, his expression hardened as he looked at Asuka who glared back at him. Everyone in the room felt the sudden drop in temperature and everyone (especially the girls who had received chocolate from Shinji) looked away and tried to ignore the two of them. Toji carefully made his way to Shinji's desk and slid a large paper wrapped bundle towards Shinji.

"How much?" Shinji reached for his wallet.

"Think of it as my thanks," Toji proudly declared.

"Thanks for what?" Shinji asked cluelessly. Kensuke came over and continued taping.

"Well- er, y'know..." Toji began fumbling for words. He blushed as Hikari seemed interested in the conversation. "Oh, come on guys..."

Shinji and Kensuke's fun was interrupted as the teacher came in.

For the rest of the morning Shinji and Asuka ignored each other. Or at least tried to. Asuka couldn't help but glance sideways at him whenever she can. Twice she actually caught him looking at her, at both times they hurriedly looked away and tried to imagine that it didn't happen.

By lunch time, Asuka was really sick and tired of acting like she was angry with Shinji. The last thing she wanted was to make him angry, knowing that she couldn't handle the fire that he could dish out. As she reached into her bag for her lunchbox, she decided that she would talk to him right after eating. Feeling better with her decision, she settled down to eat. Only to find that she forgot to bring her bento. Eating food from the school cafeteria was out of the question since she considered it toxic. Asuka looked around and saw Hikari eating and talking with Toji, it would be very bad for their friendship if she interrupted them. Rei had gone to God-knows-where, and she didn't really want to be indebted to Rei. Kensuke would probably give her his lunch but Asuka wasn't in the mood to properly bully anyone. Which leaves only-

A bento was placed before her. Asuka looked up and saw that Shinji had leaned over and dropped his bento onto her desk. "Shinji..."

"Don't worry, I don't feel hungry." Shinji stood up and left the room.

***

Of course he lied. Shinji sat under a cherry tree wondering why he gave Asuka his lunch. He was never much for gallantry or self-sacrifice, and giving something so important like his lunch to a girl he was currently... not pleased with. Shinji did have to admit that he wasn't really angry with Asuka, neither does he hate her. He sighed. It was all Misato's fault. She had to insist that Asuka live with them. Didn't she know that Asuka didn't need them? Shinji sighed again. Sure it would be more peaceful without Asuka, but somehow, it wouldn't be the same without her---

"Open up," Asuka said as she leaned over with food held in her chopsticks.

Shinji opened his mouth and received the offered food. Well, that was really nice of Asuka. Too bad that she had to ruin everything last night... wait a minute... Shinji chewed to make sure. He looked beside him and confirmed that a beautiful redhead was eating from his bento and occasionally fed him some of the food.

"Asuka-"

"Why are you so nice to me? And don't give me that 'it's my nature' shit," Asuka fed him some choice pieces from the bento. She sounded pensive but also a little angry.

"You read the letter?" Shinji blushed a little, glancing sideways at Asuka. Asuka smiled as she took out the crumpled letter from her pocket. He took a deep breath and turned to sit facing her. "I think you already know."

Asuka picked at the bento for a while. Then sighing, she set it aside and turned to face him. She could hear the blood pounding in her ears as she looked straight into his eyes. But she felt calm as she spoke. "I do. But I want to hear you say it."

"Why?" He really wanted to run away.

"Damn it! Don't ask why!" Asuka suddenly stopped as she saw the warmth slip out of Shinji's eyes. "sorry. It's- it's because- I-"

"I like you. I like you a lot." Shinji smiled gently, his face felt hot and he couldn't look at Asuka. "But you don't really make it easy for people to like you. I guess there's something wrong with me because no matter how much you hurt me, I -"

Shinji stopped as Asuka put a finger to his lips. Tears ran down her cheeks. "Baka. Look at what you've made me do..."

She leaned forward and their lips met. The world stopped and for a long while the only thing that mattered, the only thing that existed, was each other. They finally broke the kiss. They looked at each other with mixed embarrassment and desire.

"So, it does feel different when you're not holding my nose," Shinji shrewdly observed.

"Baka." Asuka playfully pushed him, making him fall on his back. She then laid down on the grass beside him, her head on his chest. Shinji brushed the tears from her cheek with the back of his fingers. "Baka-Shinji?"

"Hmm?"

"Why wasn't my name on the list?"

Shinji looked down and saw Asuka looking hopefully at him. He smiled and took the list from his chest pocket. "You're at the very top."

"My Kanji ain't that bad! I would've recognized my own name!" Asuka complained as she snatched the piece of paper and opened it. Names were crossed out, which Asuka assumed to be the ones who had already received their chocolate. At the very top, just above Rei's name, was one word written in Kanji: Love.

Shinji blushed as Asuka looked at him in wonder. "I didn't know you were the romantic type," she said as she leaned back over him so that they were face to face.

He giggled nervously. "Neither did I." He puckered up, expecting a kiss.

She pressed a finger to his lips. "So, when were you planning on giving it to me?"

He made a disappointed growl. "I had to wait for the roses I had Toji buy for me. That and I was waiting for you to apologize for snapping at me last night."

"Oh. I'm sorry, I was thinking of something else when you warned me of the burning sausages so I was a bit distracted." She surprised him by giving him a brief kiss. She then whispered huskily into his ear, "In case you're wondering, I was thinking of how sexy you are."

She laughed as he blushed to his ears. She then stood up and pulled him up as the school bell sounded to end the lunch break. They brushed the grass from their clothes and walked hand in hand back to the school.

"Baka-Shinji?"

"Hmm?"

"Tonight, remind me to tell you about my mother."

Shinji nodded, pleased that Asuka trusted him.

They stopped in front of their school building, still holding hands. Asuka beamed at Shinji. "Hey, want to know something special?"

"Sure." Shinji looked intently at Asuka.

"Aishitteru," her lips turned up into a fetching smile.

"Aishitteru, Asuka-chan," they smiled at each other, basking in the warmth of their opened hearts. Then with some regret, they released each other's hands and walked side by side into the school, never noticing a girl with blue hair who stood on the rooftop, looking down at them with a serene smile on her lips.

End.


Author's Notes:

1) Is it me or does WAFF get more reviews? (smiles) Thanks to all the readers and especially to those who gave their reviews, I tried to clean up the grammatical errors, keying errors, and tense shifts (sorry about that, like most people whose first language isn't English, I just went with whatever *sounded* right). Er, the mistakes were made because I was so happy (or sappy) that I finally finished this thing (began some time last year). If there are anymore errors please point them out, I really appreciate people actually going out of their way to help others.

On another note, Rei speaks in a formal monotone and to reflect this I never capitalize any letter in any of her lines or use contractions. I can't remember where I picked up this... er, style? I read too many fanfics to remember details (sweatdrops).

2) Similar work? Sequel? You want me to write another WAFF fic!? That's gonna be hard and I can't really say when I'll write another WAFF fic, probably if I go on another WAFF overdose (so come on people, I know you're all wonderful, go write them WAFF and inspire other authors (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)). As for a sequel, no, sorry but I don't think I could or would write a sequel. Sorry, GRUD, no REI/SHINJI fics (unless you can tell me in what episode they called TOJI's sister MARI, it's really been bugging me that I missed that).

3) Oh, at the time I wrote this fic I just finished reading: "The One I Love Is..." by Rakna; "The Child of Love" by Axel Terizaki; "Asuka's Love" by Chris Angel; "Holding Hands" by Strike Fiss; "Lost Love" by Rakna; "Wake" by TL Webb (and of course the lemon side story "Water Hazard"); "Asuka Langley, Ex-Poser" by Ka Wing-Tam; "The Heart, the Soul" series by Andrew Huang; and of course "Evanjelly Donuts" also by Andrew Huang. The impact can be clearly seen in my work (except maybe for Evanjelly Donuts).

Of course after reading these great fics I also read a lot of other WAFF, so many in fact that I can't write them all or risk having a list almost as long as the fic I wrote.

Thanks to all the authors. Till next time to the readers. And to all the reviewers, congratulations.