"Well now then, Mardy Bum
I've seen your frown and it's like looking down the barrel of a gun.

And it goes off."

- Arctic Monkeys

Stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid STUPID!

Asuka had decided the afternoon was subpar.

She charged off through the woods, tossing the crumbled package into the underbrush, never to be found again. She hoped so, anyway. In any case, she wasn't turning back for it now, for to turn back would be to undoubtedly run into Shinji again, and after what she had just seen that was completely out of the question.

If possible, for the rest of her life.

She came to a clearing and placed her hands on her hips. Now where the hell am I?

"Asuka! Wait up!" The forest was thick enough that his voice already sounded distant, even though he was probably not that far behind.

She grit her teeth. The mature thing to do would be to stop and talk to him. She would make up some bullshit excuse for why she fled and let him explain that this was a big misunderstanding, which it probably was. They would discover that she was totally overreacting and things would go back to normal. In a way, every step she took dug her deeper.

So, the mature thing to do would be to stay here and wait for him to catch up.

Asuka picked a direction and ran.

"So have you asked anybody yet?"

Asuka pulled the shirt of her uniform down over her head and turned to Megumi, right next to her in the locker room. She reached into her locker and removed her sync clips. The school didn't allow them when gym class involved the pool.

"Did I ask anybody what?"

"It's December, Sohryu-san. The floodgates are open," she grinned mischievously. "Is there anyone you have your eye on this year?"

"Oh god! She's gonna take all the good ones!" Luka's head poked out at the end of the row, her eyes wide in mock horror. "You know the way they all those idiots swoon over foreigners."

"Not Suzuhara-kun," Megumi replied. "I hear Hikari's already got him locked down. She's asking him right now." Luka laughed.

"She would! Leave it to Horaki to be proactive," she pulled her shirt on, "not that anyone couldn't see that one coming a mile away."

"I know, right?" Megumi laughed, applying deodorant. "I think it's just adorable how she fawns over him."

"Wait, seriously: what's going on?" Asuka closed her locker, hair clips in place. "What's up with December? Why's that different?"

"Oh... Sohryu, you're a transfer student," Megumi's face registered shock. "You weren't here last year, were you?"

Asuka shook her head, her impatience starting to rise. "No. What exactly are we talking about?"

Meekly as humanly possible, Hikari entered the locker room and headed to her designated cubicle. She was about halfway there before most of 2-A had her surrounded.

"What'd he say?" "Did he answer?"

"Would you all stop?" Hikari laughed, blushing. "It's none of your business! Jeez!"

She straightened up, trying to look dignified while opening her locker. The silence was deafening. Asuka strained her neck to see if somehow seeing Hikari would tell her just what the hell was going on.

When her locker was good and open, Hikari cleared her throat. "...he said yes."

The locker room exploded in a loud cheer.

"What did he say yes to?" Asuka tried to shout over the din, "is Hikari engaged or what?"

The last time Shinji saw her, Asuka was sprinting into the treeline. He'd been able to keep up for a good five minutes based solely on her angry shouts. The shouts had since ceased, possibly due to her mounting anger, probably due to her lack of breath. Shinji knew from recent, first-hand experience how difficult it was to run and shout like that.

Shinji stopped to catch his breath, leaning against a tree. Moments later, Touji and Kensuke trotted up beside him.

Shinji looked up at them. "Is Hikari still here?"

Kensuke looked behind them, panting. "I doubt it. Touji's barely still here."

Touji was doubled over, gasping for air like a fish out of water. "It's insane. She's the fastest girl alive."

Shinji pushed off from the tree and looked around them. He cupped his hands over his mouth. "Asuka! Wait up!" His voice echoed off of the forest around them.

"How far do you think we've run, anyway?" Kensuke muttered.

Shinji shook his head. He had no idea. This whole thing was hopeless. If Asuka didn't want to be found, the she probably wouldn't be. Changing her mind once it was set on something was about as easy as chopping down a mountain with the edge of your hand.

Touji glanced up, still in respiratory distress. "Hey so, do you know if Sohryu's on the track team? Because god damn." He reached out to the trunk next to him for support. "On a related note, I literally think I'm dying."

"So, what happened anyway?" Kensuke cleaned his glasses and tried not to look as desperate for breath as his friend. "Why exactly is Sohryu running away from you? Us, I guess."

Shinji felt himself blush. He wasn't exactly about to tell Kensuke and Touji what had just transpired – anyone would just read all the wrong things into the situation. He wasn't even entirely sure what had happened, and he had been there. Still, all eyes were on him.

"Um... I don't know, really. She just kind of freaked out and started running, so..." he looked for words. "I mean, it could really be anything. You know how Asuka is."

No one looked convinced. Shinji let the lameness of the statement hang between them like a dead animal. Eventually, Touji coughed.

"Right. As much as I'd love to help you solve that mystery, I promised the Class Rep we'd pick out our colors today. I should head back," he pushed off from the tree and sighed heavily. "Good luck with all this, Chief."

In his infinite maturity, Kensuke mimed a whip being cracked over Touji's head, complete with noises from his mouth.

"Screw off, Aida," Touji growled, walking back the way they came. "You'd be singing a different tune if we were four days into December and you had a date."

"A date to what?"

"You really don't know, do you?"

Asuka threw her arms up in the air. "No, Hikari! I really don't know! I really have no idea!"

Hikari giggled at the other girl's exasperation. "I'm sorry. I guess I just kind of assumed. We do it every year." She skipped a little as they walked out of the school, towards Hikari's house. Oh god, Asuka thought. Hikari's giddy. The class rep waited for Asuka to catch up before continuing, "Suzuhara-kun is my date to the Christmas dance."

"We have a Christmas Dance?" Asuka asked. This was news to her. On a dime, her face soured. "Wait, is this a 'yukata and kimono' kinda thing? You guys ambushed me with that damn festival back in September..."

"Oh, but you looked so cute, Asuka-chan!"

"Uh-huh." Asuka muttered. Much to her chagrin, she'd had to borrow a kimono from Hikari during the September celebration. The piece of clothing had somehow (seemingly paradoxically) been both too tight, too small, and done nothing for her figure. Asuka had spent the night feeling vaguely uncomfortable and pulling on the bottom of the garment to somehow create the illusion it belonged to her. She felt like a child wearing their parent's clothes: out of place and uncool.

Hikari took her friend's arm. She was still riding her emotional high from Touji's response, which only served to further annoy Asuka.

"No, the dance is a western sort of thing. Girls have to ask the guys, they dress up in tuxes and look nice," Hikari continued. "Some games and activities for couples to do. There's always loads of love confessions and stuff. It's kind of a big deal. Sort of like proms in America." Hikari pulled away and looked at Asuka. "You went to a prom, right?"

"I went to a private school before college," Asuka laughed. "Also, I was nine. But I get the concept. Why do the girls have to ask?"

"Well, like Valentine's Day, you know? It's kinda romantic!"

Asuka made a face, and Hikari released her arm, pouting.

"Oh, come on! We're not all beautiful, foreign, famous robot pilots!" she said. "You wear your heart right on your sleeve, Asuka, but admitting feelings is hard for some of us, you know? Things like this are a perfect excuse to let someone know how you feel. Especially if it's been a long time coming and you've been trying to work up the courage..." Hikari fiddled with the strap of her bag, averting her eyes from Asuka's gaze.

Asuka didn't have the heart to disagree with her friend. After a few beats, she sighed. "Yeah, I guess that's true," she relented. "Good for you, Horaki. You're more than he deserves."

Hikari blushed, a smile spreading over her face. "I'm so excited!"

She started to head towards their destination again. Asuka fell into step next to her, happy for her friend, but secretly hoping 'bubbly-in-love Hikari' wouldn't last through the entire afternoon.

"You should ask someone, too. You'd like it, I swear."

"Maybe. I'm not sure who I'd even ask."

"Really? Just about anyone would go with you. All the boys in school think you're gorgeous, until you scream at them."

"I don't scream at all of them. Let's be fair here," Asuka stretched her back. "Some get punched."

"I'm being serious, Asuka! I'm your best friend, I'll keep your confidentiality." Hikari glanced over at her friend. "There's no one you have a crush on? Not even a little bit?"

Asuka let her eyes wander off towards the street. "...not really."

Hikari looked back down at her feet, and for a moment the two simply walked. Hikari cleared her throat.

"Well, how about Ikari-kun? You two are always talking during lunch-"

Asuka tripped.

"Wha-why would I ask an idiot like him?" she roared. She rounded on her friend, cornering her. "He's like a noodle, Hikari! A doormat, pushover, idiot noodle! I'm Asuka Langley Sohryu! I wouldn't date that spineless dweeb if someone paid me!"

Hikari raised her eyebrows. "It doesn't have to be a romantic sort of date, Asuka-chan. A lot of girls just go with friends."

Asuka was suddenly a very attractive shade of red. "Um..." She began. Hikari blinked. "Oh... well... then that changes things I guess."

She turned back towards their destination and kept walking. Hikari quickly trotted to keep pace.

Silence.

"I... I really didn't mean to imply anything, Asuka-chan."

"Don't sweat it," Asuka quickened her pace. "I just don't know what kind of moron would fall for that loser."

Asuka sat with her back against a tree, somewhere in the forest outside of Tokyo-3. Her knees were hugged to her chest, her nose buried somewhere between them.

Stupid. This was all so unfathomably stupid.

She angrily rubbed her eyes, pre-empting any sort of tears that might be forming. This was nothing to cry about. She was Asuka Langley Sohryu, for god's sake. This was nothing at all.

It's not like the stupid dance was a big deal. It's not like today was special or anything. Shinji had no idea. No one did. She didn't tell anyone because for once in her life she didn't want to be the center of attention. She didn't want a celebration or a night out on the town, she just wanted...

Asuka felt the tears collapse down on to her cheeks, and hated herself a little more for it. Gritting her teeth, Asuka stood and wiped the liquid away with extreme prejudice.

Man up, goddamn it.

She took a deep breath and let it slide out of her throat. Shinji would have given up looking by now. She'd won, but it was already afternoon, and the walk back to town would take at least an hour.

Asuka put one foot in front of the other, devoting her mental energies to coming up with some sort of feasible explanation as to why she had turned tail and fled into the woods like a maniac.

Hikari had organized the picnic for after school on Friday, December 4th specifically because of the date's proximity to the Christmas Dance.

She chose an outdoor setting, in a park right next to the woods. It was a chance for people to work up the courage to ask someone, and maybe somehow maneuver them away from the flocks of friends that so ubiquitously clumped together during school. A group of five guys was intimidating. One guy sitting alone on a park bench was quite a different matter altogether.

Shinji had come primarily for the food, not really with any sort of hopes that he might actually be asked to the dance. Also, he had no doubt that Touji cared for Hikari, but he couldn't imagine picnics were really the other boy's thing. Deciding that an afternoon spent in a park sounded like a nice distraction from fighting alien monsters from space, Shinji sat next to Touji and Kensuke in the clearing and munched happily on an assortment from the nearby table.

Asuka watched him from the tree line, clutching the box of chocolates as it her life depended on it. Some of them had been crushed by her worrying, but she wasn't even entirely sure she was going to give them to him, anyway. It had been an impulse decision while en route to the park, and now, with the weight of it in her hands, she felt like an idiot.

Chocolates? Really? Why not just pin him to a tree and rip his shirt off, Sohryu? Did you pick up some condoms, too?

She heaved a sigh. She knew the chocolate sent the totally incorrect message, but now she was stuck with them. Maybe they weren't so bad? Friends gave each other chocolates here too, right? Just as a sort of "Hey, I'm happy you exist" sort of thing. She thought so, anyway. Asuka wasn't 100% on the etiquette of that...

Of course, the chocolates meant absolutely nothing if she didn't work up the courage to walk up and ask the damn kid to the Christmas dance.

Her stomach churned and she leaned her forehead against a tree, willing it to calm down.

Why was she nervous, anyway? Asuka was fairly certain Shinji would say yes – he always agreed on the rare occasions she would ask for him to take her out on the town. It was just for the company, you know? The odd movie, maybe a restaurant after. Those had been fun! Shinji had even made that hellish September festival somewhat bearable for her by teaching her the different games, and being kind enough not to mention the garment situation. Hell, he'd even run interference between her legs and Kensuke's camera. Asuka had never actually gotten around to thanking him for that.

It was all that love confession non-sense that Hikari had filled her head with earlier in the week. It made everything seem so... complicated. Though she would never admit it, Asuka quite cherished her friendship with the other pilot. She just didn't want Shinji to think that her intentions were anything other than they were.

...which was to have a good time at the stupid school dance with a friend. This was a friend thing, just like those had been, just like they always would be.

Right?

Right. It's game time. Maybe the chocolates could even be thank you for Septemb-?

Asuka turned around to discover that Shinji had completely vanished. Touji and Kensuke laughed about nothing in particular next to an empty picnic cloth. The redhead burst from the woods and ran to them.

"Where's the idiot?"

Kensuke pointed over his shoulder.

"Ayanami just took him that way to talk," he said. "I think she's asking him to the dance, the lucky bastard."

Touji took a bite out of Shinji's sandwich. "Who gave you a box of chocolate?"

Was she joking?

Shinji looked at Rei, not quite sure what to say. Her eyes were as impassive as ever.

"...really?"

"Yes, I think I might actually enjoy myself if you were there," she stared at him. Rei had taken Shinji behind a grove of trees, out of the sight of the rest of the class. The two were as alone as you could get in a public park. It took a moment for the statement to sink in for Shinji. "If you wouldn't mind."

"O-of course I wouldn't mind, Ayanami!" Shinji replied. "I'm just, well... kind of surprised that you want to go."

Rei looked off, "I've never been to a school event. Dr. Akagi says that they're fun, and that I should try having some while I'm young. She recommended it for my mental health," the girl admitted. "I don't know many other people in the class besides you and Sohryu. You seemed the more logical choice."

Shinji laughed. "Yeah, good choice." he trailed off, imagining just exactly how Asuka would have reacted to the proposition. Rei tilted her head. Shinji shook the thoughts out of his mind and looked back into her eyes. "Of course I'll go with you, Ayanami. I'm flattered, really."

The faintest of smiles fluttered across Rei's face, and Shinji returned it. It was rare to see Rei's expression change, and he always felt a twinge of pride when he managed to somehow cheer her up. The poor girl always seemed so gloomy. That apartment didn't help matters, either. The place reminded Shinji uncomfortably of hospitals.

"So," he started, "what do you want to-"

Reaching up, Rei clutched the front of Shinji's shirt and pulled his lips into hers.

Later on, she would explain that Kaji had been in the room at the time Dr. Akagi's advice had been dispensed, and that he had coyly suggested she kiss her date to seal the deal. Rei had not caught the tone of mischief in his voice. Shinji was too shocked to do anything at all, save for blushing furiously.

Asuka showed up just in time to see the First's hands snake around his neck.

It was very late indeed when Asuka finally returned from the woods. Misato was the only occupant still awake in the apartment.

"There you are," she looked up as the German girl walked into the kitchen. "I was starting to think you might be spending the night out with your friends. Shinji said you ditched halfway through the picnic to hang out with them."

Asuka was happy that Shinji's advance excuse had pretty much covered her ass. He probably didn't even know how appropriate the excuse was. "Yeah, sorry about all that. Lost track of time. We got kind of carried away, I guess."

"Well, you deserve one day a year where you can, right?" Misato winked. Asuka nodded vaguely.

"I'm gonna shower and sleep. I'm really exhausted..." she walked through the kitchen as quickly as she thought appropriate. She didn't really want Misato to ask any questions right now. In fact, the less human contact the better. At least until the morning, she needed some time alone.

"Hey Asuka," the older woman stood at the end of the hallway. Asuka turned, knowing what was coming. Misato smiled at her, true warmth in her eyes. "Happy birthday."

Asuka pushed her hair behind her ear and forced a reciprocal smile. "Thanks."

"You let me know if there's anything you need, okay?"

"Yeah, definitely. Goodnight." She turned quickly so Misato wouldn't see the tears of hurt and embarrassment that were starting to form again.

The shower would take care of them. In moments they'd be gone forever, and it would be like they were never there in the first place.

AN: Well, that's a bad ending to preface this with, but trust for this one to be a little less angsty then my last Eva fic. Dances are fun! Teenagers are fun!

Let's have some fun. :) Hope you enjoyed it.