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Part 1: Contemplation
I am not spineless.
"Yes, you are a spineless little boy," Asuka said.
I AM NOT SPINELESS!
She danced around him chanting, "Yes, you are! You're a spineless little baka!"
He decided to ignore her. As he turned away; he felt the distinctive sound of an Asuka slap. He felt someone throwing a pillow stood in front of him as she screamed, "Get up BAKA! Before WE are LATE!"
It was just a nightmare. He felt his cheek. It didn't burn as it usually did after an Asuka slap. So he had dreamt that up, too? He mechanically got ready for school. He was slowly recalling the dream as Asuka grabbed his hand and proceeded to drag him to school at a breakneck pace.
He was breathing heavily as Asuka went over to greet Hikari. Touji and Kensuke walked over after Asuka was a safe distance away. Touji asked, "So what did the red goddess bitch do today?"
"Hit me with a pillow," responded a still out of breath Shinji.
Touji exclaimed in amazement. "That's all?"
"And she screamed."
Kensuke added with little thought, "She always screams at you."
Shinji shrugged as he sat at his desk. He continued to think about the dream. No, nightmare, he reminded himself. He had been amazed that he had actually stood up to Asuka. It frightened him. It excited him.
I'm not particularly brave. But I'm not a spineless little baka. I'm Shinji, Pilot of Eva-01. She has no right to insult me. She doesn't deserve to scream at me or make fun of me. Or tease me to humiliate me. She has no right. The little bitch. Moreover, I'm not LITTLE. She's little. I'm bigger than she is!
Shinji hadn't notice during his thoughtful angsty words his face had turned into a horrifying scowl. A scowl that Touji and Kensuke thought reminded them of an extremely bitchy Asuka. Touji typed a message to Kensuke:
Great! Asuka, the red goddess is actually in a non-violent mood! And Shinji
gets her killer hormones. So much for peace and quiet today.
-Touji
Kensuke glanced at the message and saw that Asuka was indeed in one of her better moods. She was actually smiling. Shinji was not. He was wearing a very angry scowl. Top that off he was clenching and re-clenching his hands, a sign he wanted to fight. The only thought Kensuke could think to type back was:
Oh dear.
-Kensuke
Oh dear is right.
-Touji
Ugh. Here comes sensei…
-Kensuke
They immediately ended their little message exchange. There was no need to get a detention over this. The class listened for attendence when Shinji abruptly got out of his seat.
He didn't seem to hear sensei order him to sit down as he advanced purposely to Asuka's desk. Asuka wasn't paying attention because she was talking in messages to Hikari.
Shinji's coming toward you.
-Hikari
Shinji? What?
-Asuka
"Asuka!" Shinji said through clenched teeth.
Asuka looked up with surprised blue eyes as Shinji grabbed her arm.
I'm not a spineless little baka. I'm not a spineless little boy. I'm nothing of what she calls me… What am I doing?….
Asuka's eyes sharpened as she said sharply, "Let me go, baka! Let go of me you spineless…"
"Spineless?" Shinji's voice was a shout. It grabbed everyone's attention.
Unfortunately only Asuka could see his blazing, blue eyes glaring at her. It was intense as he bruised her arm with his grip. He dragged her to a standing position. To prevent her from slapping him, he grabbed her other arm. He pressed her against the wall and leaned down. His mouth was crushed against hers. It was their second kiss.
The anger left Shinji in a whirl as he retreated back to his desk. Sensei had wide, startled eyes, but he quickly composed himself. He called out of Shinji, "Detention slip for you to pick up, Ikari Shinji after lunch."
Shinji nodded as he wondered what the hell had overcome him. He was scared. He was very scared. There was no telling what Asuka would do to him at lunch. Why had he kissed her again? He was definitely in for it. Then he smiled. He had finally stood up to her though…
Touji and Kensuke came up to Shinji immediately after the lunch bell rang, "Are you suicidal?"
Shinji answered bluntly, "No."
"An alien abducted him?" Touji suggested.
"No."
"What happened then?" Kensuked queried.
Shinji gave them a bizarre look, "I don't know."
They sat down to eat at their regular table. Touji and Kensuke sat at the opposite side. They were prepared for Asuka to come down like a whirlwind on Shinji. Instead of Asuka coming, it was Hikari. Hikari quietly whispered to Shinji, "Asuka wants to talk to you outside."
Shinji excused himself from the table and left with Hikari to go to Asuka. Hikari led him to a very isolated part of the school. Hikari pointed to a tree, "She's over there."
He looked at the tree and could make out the slim form of Asuka leaning against the tree. Her head was bent looking down. Her red-hair covering whatever facial expression she had on. But her stance reassured him. She didn't look angry.
He whispered her name, "Asuka?" She didn't seem to hear him, "Asuka? It's Shinji."
She lifted her head and he saw a smile grace her lips. It shocked him. He expected her to at least be horrifyingly mad and if he was lucky not rip him to shreds. She advanced slowly with the smile still on her lips. Her smile was without malice, without teasing, without cruelty, the smile was genuine. Shinji thought, what the hell is wrong with her?
Part 2: Surprise Surprise
The smile was confusing Asuka as well. She could feel the general warmth of it spread across her face. But she guessed it was because of Shinji's startling change. She had never despised Shinji, she just hated his weakness of letting people bulldoze over him. Not only she, herself, but especially Gendo. She really liked Shinji, sometimes. Her smile turned even more bizarre at that thought. What was up with Shinji? Why had he kissed her?
Shinji sweatdropped when she moved toward him. The smile had slipped off her face, but all she did was ask nonchalantly, "What happened?"
Even though he told his friends, 'I don't know' he knew that answer wouldn't satisfy Asuka. It took a lot to make her happy, and he didn't even know how in this case. I wish I had held my temper. I want to sink into the ground. His answer came a few, long seconds later, "I got sick of you calling me, spineless."
She laughed, "It took you long enough." She didn't know why she said that, but she shocked Shinji and herself even more, "I never thought you were a spineless baka all the time."
His look of amazement made him drop his jaw as he stared at her. She continued, "You could never pilot a beserk Eva if you were really spineless all the time."
He smiled at her and arrogantely pushed it, "I also have a higher sync ratio than you."
"Rub it in too hard, baka and you'll feel my wrath," she warned menacingly.
He nervously laughed, "At least you're giving me a warning," as he he stood up in front of her.
"Maybe I won't next time," Asuka replied indignantly as her hand went up to slap him.
The slap wasn't as hard as her normal Asuka slaps, but hard enough to cause a burning sensation. She was about to slap him again when he grabbed her wrist and he said, "I deserved one for the kiss, but not the second."
His heart was racing. What was he doing?
Asuka was thinking the same. She fumed silent, but nodded. She knew he was right. Besides how often was Shinji going to be this self-confident? She like it. She liked the kiss.
She decided to tell him, "I slapped you for the bruises on my arm and for the sync ratio."
She moved her sleeve up to show him. He saw the bruises and he apologized, "I'm sorry, Asuka. I never meant to hurt you. No matter how much you hurt me."
He realized there was a subtle hint of more, but he knew she wouldn't be able to pick up on it. She was too focused on Kaji to notice how much baka Shinji liked her to tolerate her hateful words and abuse. But not anymore, he promised himself.
He wouldn't run, he would stand up to Asuka. And when she had said she hadn't slap him because of the kiss… did it mean she liked it? A satisfying thought.
Asuka snapped him out of his thoughts, "Shinji, I'm hungry. You didn't forget the lunches?"
"Lunches?" Shinji asked in confusion, "What about them?"
She completely broke his train of thoughts when she yelled, "It's lunch time, you dumkofh! Where are the lunches?"
Shinji sheepishly displayed 2 brown bag lunches. Asuka tore into her ravenously. Shinji watched her briefly before munching on his food. He said nothing when Asuka took his desert. It was so like her anyways. Just like old times.
The lunch bell rang as Asuka griped, "Boring history!"
Shinji stared at her, while she grabbed his hand and dragged him to class. She muttered, "I don't know what you'd do without me, anta baka!"
He murmured to himself, "Neither do I!"
Touji and Kensuke exchanged looks of amazement between themselves as a seemingly untouched Shinji was pulled into the room. Touji asked in a hushed voice to escape the hearting of a certain red-head, "How did it go?"
"Not bad."
Kensuke invoked, "We can see that. At best we expected you to be in the nurse's office sporting bruises gallore. Touji bet you were going to in the hospital, possibly decapitated."
"She only slapped me. Once," Shinji told them.
It was at that privotal remark when sensei decided to walk in, disrupting the 3 boys conversation. He started the class with another boring lecture with his back facing the class. Everyone in the class opened up their messenger.
As he began to stroll around the room, nearly everyone put their messenger on standby, Asuka didn't have to. From her seat at the back of the classroom, no one could sneak up on her, including sensei. She sent a response to Hikari's questions.
He only let me slap him. One time.
-Asuka
Let you?
-Hikari
He grabbed my hand to prevent the second slap.
-Asuka
Oh…
-Hikari
Baka is becoming quite brave.
-Asuka
Looks to me… like You're crushing!
-Hikari
Crushing!??!?
-Asuka
Crush= Shinji
-Hikari
Hikari sneaked a look at Asuka and was rewarded with a becoming blush on Asuka's cheeks.
I guess
-Asuka
You're blushing. I'm right.
-Hikari
I guess, you're right.
-Asuka
It was as Hikari was typing a reply message that sensei tapped the class representative on the shoulder. He said in a distinctively disappointed voice, "I expected more than idle gossip from you, Hikari."
Hikari bowed her head in reprieve as sensei continued, "You will join Ikari in detention."
There were collective gasps that could be heard around the room. Hikari had never had detention before. It was a considerable shock for everyone. Hikari nodded her head and said in a low voice, "Yes, sensei."
Sensei then turned to the class, "Everyone better turn their messengers completely off, now! We are having a pop quiz over my lecture."
Everyone groaned. Sensei never gave a pop quiz over his meaningless lectures. All tried to recall snatches of his lecture as he passed out a run off copy of the quiz. Apparently he had this all planned. His 30 minute lecture made up 50 short answer questions. The class was doomed.
It took all of them to the bell to finish. Those that weren't still had to turn them in. When the class was dismissed, Shinji and Hikari stayed behind as sensei told them, "Don't say one word. Both of you will stay until I finish grading the quizzes."
Shinji and Hikari exchanged glaces. It would be a very long afternoon and possibly evening. Sensei, however quickly. He had a smug smile on his face after 3 hours of grading, "Shinji and Hikari, you are dismissed. You might want to pass this along. Only one person in the class passed."
Shinji and Hikari sweatdropped. This was bad. Very bad. For everyone…
Part 3: Small Chat (Platicar)
Shinji started off in the direction to Misato's apartment when Hikari stopped him when she said, "Shinji, can we talk?"
He whirled around, blatantly surprised by what she said.
She smiled and explained, "It's about Asuka. I know an ice cream shop nearby. It's really cute and the ice cream isn't half bad, for the price at least."
He still didn't say anything.
She motioned to the opposite direction. "Come on Shinji. Don't you want to hear what I have to say?"
He did.
But what is she going to say? He silently thought to himself. I want to know. But what could she tell me that I don't already know about Asuka? I live with Asuka day in and day out. But she is her best friend, Shinji reminded himself, she could tell me things that Asuka would never reveal to me.
Shinji was so distracted by his thoughts he didn't even realize it when the waiter asked again, "What would you like to order, Shinji?"
When she couldn't get his attention Hikari told the waiter apologetically, "He's sort of out of it. He'll have a vanilla and chocolate swirl."
The waiter nodded and left to fill out their orders.
Hikari waved her hand in front of Shinji. "Shinji? Are you there?"
He snapped out of his thoughts abrupted and he smiled ruefully. He asked, "Uh-mmm-I was thinking about something."
She suppressed the urge to laugh, "I think I could tell."
When he said nothing, she decided it was wise to switch subjects. "How well do you think you did on the quiz?"
"I failed miserably," she cheerifully disclosed. "How about you?"
"The same," Shinji responded.
The awkward silence followed painfully. Luckily, the waiter arrived with the ice cream and they pretend to be too busy eating to talk. It worked for a while, but they had concentrated so much on the ice cream that they finished in record time. They sat for a very long time, staring at the passing pedestrians.
Hikari finally said, "Let's get out of here."
Shinji followed her as she walked to a nearby park. She sat on the bench and motioned for him to do the same. She said abruptly, "I think Asuka likes you."
Shinji was shocked to silence and finally he inquired, "Can you tell me why?"
"I don't really know. It might be a lot of things. But remember the last time she was over at my home?" Hikari asked.
He shrugged before responding, "Asuka always goes over. Well-at least once a week."
"Anyway, she's been talking a lot about you. I admit she insults you more than she doesn't, but she normally doesn't like to talk about you at all. I don't think she's one to admit whether or not she likes you. She's just not that kind of person," Hikari stated firmly.
Shinji took in her words slowly. "Asuka is rather volatile. There is no telling what she means by it. She could just be mad at me," he suggested quietly.
"No," Hikari replied, "I don't think she's mad at you. Sometimes she calls you just Shinji, no baka or dummkopf added on to it. I think-I think she really likes you." She glanced at her watch. "It's getting late. I shouldn't have told you all this."
Shinji nodded that he understood she had just told him some very personal information Asuka had hintingly let Hikari discover. He told her, "I won't say anything about this to Asuka."
She smiled warmly then she asked, "Do you know what Touji thinks about me?"
Shinji smiled and reassured her, "He really really likes you. I think you'll find him falling for you hard. And it just isn't your cooking, Hikari!"
"I would hope not!" she exclaimed.
"Well, it isn't."
They both got up from the bench and started to walk home. Before they met the corner where they split up to go in the direction of their respective homes, Shinji asked, "Do you know any good recipes that I could cook?"
Hikari laughed and she scribbled down one very quickly in her notebook. She handed it to him, giving him the last instructions by word, "You need to cook in the oven for about 30 minutes to get it nicely roasted. The sauce should be made again in case you don't get the sauce all spread out before you put it in the oven. Besides it makes a really nice taste with the rice. Oh-why do you need this?"
Shinji answered her truthfully, "It's my day to cook. I need to make it up to her somehow after embarassing her like that in class."
Hikari smiled warmly. "Don't worry about it. For your information, Asuka was delighted with the kiss in a sort of 'I don't want that hentai to touch me!'"
Shinji stared at her in disbelief.
"It's true!" Hikari supported her statement. "Asuka never says what she really means, half the time. And the other half the time when does say exactly what she means, well-she cursing herself."
"I suppose you're right," Shinji reluctantly said. "But you're wrong about the cursing. She's cursing me when she says anything in German."
"Are you really sure?" Hikari inquired.
Shinji shrugged, "It's German. How am I suppose to understand her rants when their in a foreign language? All I can guess is it's nothing good."
"It could be she's not saying anything bad at all. It may be that it's good but you can't understand it; therefore, you assume it's bad," Hikari deliberated.
Shinji shook his head, laughing, "Hikari, you have a blind spot where Asuka's concerned."
Hikari indignantly shot back, "I'm not the only one!"
That dulled his laughter immediately. "You're right. Asuka's is my big blind spot."
"That's not a bad thing. I truly believe Asuka isn't as tough as she makes herself out to be," Hikari confessed.
"I hope you're right, Hikari. I'd really like for her to open up to me," Shinji professed.
"It's all a matter of what it will take for her to open up. She has quit trying to prove she's better than everyone," Hikari said matter of factly.
Shinji nodded and glanced at the darkening sky. "We'd better get home. I need to if I want to carry out this recipe of yours!"
Hikari agreed and she started running off in the direction of her home. Shinji did the same, only he went to the grocery store. He needed to pick up some ingredients for the recipe that he knew Misato never kept at home.
At least I know she's got some beer at home, he thought. Whenever I need something with that in the food, I've got an ample supply a home.
Part 4:
"BAKA!" screamed Asuka as soon Shinji walked into the door. "I'm hungry!"
Shinji grinned as he held up the grocery bag. "I'll have dinner prepared in about an hour. Hikari-chan gave me a really good recipe that I'd like to try out. I hope it turns out somewhat decent."
"What is it?" asked Asuka.
"Roasted chicken, but the sauce is somewhat tricky to make, which is what makes it taste really good. Or at least that is what Hikari told me. She suggested that I make a second batch of the sauce to dip in or use as a rice flavoring. Personally I like my rice the way it is, but would you like me to make it for you?" Shinji inquired.
Asuka watched as he sorted through the grocery bag. By the time Asuka was ready to answer him, Shinji had already laid out the necessary herbs needed to make the dish. "It would be something different," she finally responded.
Shinji glanced up. "Okay."
A pause of silence followed until Asuka asked, "why did you kiss me, Shinji?"
Shinji almost slid the knife into his finger, but he caught himself just in time. He was surprised that she hadn't called him a baka. He replied truthfully, "I don't know. I kind of had a dream that was unnerving."
Asuka was equally shocked when he didn't apologize. I wonder what's up with Shinji. Usually he's apologizing all over himself by this time. Well, at least now he's not so annoying as he use to be. I mean he use to apologize for looking at me!