Hurt
By: Keiko Nakamoto
Disclaimer: I don't own Evangelion, as much as I wish I did. I don't and probably never will.
Notes: *shrugs* Wanted to another Eva thing. My last one wasn't too good. Not that this one is much better...

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Hurt. There was no one who could hurt me. No one. Solid ice is hard to break. No one could make me feel. No one. Ice can be chipped, ice can be broken. But not easily. And certainly not by anyone here. And then she came. The one thing that could hurt me. The one thing that could break my ice. She possessed it. Fire.

Fire, the one thing that could hurt me. Could melt away my barriers. Reach my heart. And that's what she did. She came, hated me. Loved me. Hurt me. Made me feel.

I tried to stay indifferent. She had no power over me, or so I thought. As long as she hated me...but it hurt. It hurt to have her hate me. I felt pain. But then, she began, for whatever reason, to love me.

Love? Me? Yes. That's right. She loved me. She told me so, and I tried to not care. I tried to push away the happiness that rose within me. But, I found myself loving her back. But I never told her, and I saw her crumple.

Ice can smother fire for a moment, but it always gives. So did I. I gave myself. I loved her, and I told her so. And then, she began to melt my ice. But, ice turns to water.

She gave me her all, and I gave her mine. I laid my heart in her hand, and she made me feel. She made me hurt, she made me cry, she made me happy, she gave me joy. She made me feel. She melted my cold ice, melted it into calm water.

Water can hurt fire. Water can kill fire. In melting my ice, she gave me her heart to do with it as I please.

She trusts me. I gave, and now she gives back. I opened myself and now she does as well. No one knew me, but she does. No one knew her, but I do.

And I love her. Every mistake, forgiven. Every flaw, embraced. I love her.

Shinji was positively thrilled. Cuddled up to Kaworu and gave us his blessing. She said that we would need it. His blessing, that is. For what reason, I don't know.

Kaworu. When I found that he and Shinji were together, I began to think. Would it not be appropriate that she and I get together? Perfect. Polar opposites, like Shinji and Kaworu. Shinji, depressed. Kaworu, happy. Me, ice. Her, fire.

Silly thought. I erased it from my mind.

But now, I smile thinking of that day. Kaworu's smile as he told me of his love for Shinji, told me how it felt to love, to give yourself completely. I acted as though it made no difference to me. But it made me think.

Maybe she loved Shinji, yes? No. She told me that she never loved Shinji, and I believe her. She loves me. Never anyone else. She is mine and I am hers.

Now and always, faithful and true.

I love her not as Kaworu loves Shinji. Not as God so loved the Earth. Not as Gendou loved Yui, no. Much, much more.

I love you...always...

~ Owari

K, review please!